LiNK Statement on the Executive Order on Immigration and Refugees
Dear Friends,
We write today to provide an update on how the recent Executive Order (EO) on immigration and refugees will affect North Korean refugees and our work.
The EO suspends the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program globally for 120 days, for a review process to “determine what additional procedures should be taken to ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States” (Sec. 5.a).
North Koreans who have escaped the most repressive country in the world are not exempt from this suspension, meaning North Koreans seeking refuge in the United States will not be able to gain admission during at least the next four months. We know from experience that it is already not easy for North Koreans to gain refugee status to resettle in the United States as there is a strong vetting process currently in place. It can take many months, even over a year, and involves repeated in-depth interviews and screenings by various U.S. government agencies. We therefore believe it to be unnecessary and unfortunate to suspend the entire U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and further delay the start of these refugees’ lives in freedom.
We are proud of our work helping North Korean refugees in their escape and assisting them in reaching countries like the United States and South Korea where they can begin new lives in safety and freedom. We are thankful to all our supporters who have made this work possible and have welcomed these individuals into their communities. It has been incredible to see our North Korean friends here in America learn English, enroll in universities, get married and begin families, find gainful employment, and even start their own businesses.
A while ago we asked Anna--a North Korean refugee who we helped resettle in the US--her thoughts as she celebrated Independence Day. She said, "This country accepted me, embraced me, and gave me an opportunity to spread my wings."
Today, we renew our commitment to protecting North Korean refugees and to helping them resettle in societies where they can live in safety, freedom, and dignity and live fulfilling lives as valuable members of their new societies. Thank you, as ever, for your support.
Remembering North Korea: Today, I’m Happy Because I Can Have Ice Cream
By: Hyeyoung Woon
Hyeyong escaped from North Korea in 2009. She currently works as a financial accountant, and strives to grow her ability as a storyteller and writer to share her personal experiences as a North Korean defector.
There are days when happiness feels complicated.
And then there are days when it feels very simple.
For me, sometimes, it is just ice cream.
When I was young in North Korea, ice cream was very different.
We had “eoreum bosunge” which is sweet pink water frozen in a small metal can with a stick inside. It was icy and rough, and the taste was so strong. That was all I knew.
But everything changed on my first day in South Korea.
I went to a small neighborhood store with my mom and that was where I first saw an ice cream called “Pure Milk”.
At that time, I had just started becoming interested in the English language, so maybe that is why the name catch my eyes
I picked it up and took a bite.
And honestly, it felt like a different world.
It was soft, smooth, and full of real milk flavor.
Until then, ice cream had only meant frozen sweet water to me. I did not know something so simple could taste so real.
After that day, I kept choosing the same ice cream again and again.
Of course, now I know there are more expensive and famous ice creams in the world and, just like that, my life has changed too.
But maybe that is why I still choose Pure Milk.
Not because it is the best,
But because it reminds me of who I used to be.
When I first came to South Korea, everything felt new and exciting.
And little by little, this new world made me forget the old one.
Maybe that is part of growing up.
Or maybe it is part of learning how to survive in a new society.
But sometimes, I become afraid that my old memories are slowly fading away too.
That is why small things like this ice cream still matter to me.
They remind me of where I started.
They help me keep a part of myself that I do not want to lose.
And I still want to remember the girl who once believed pink frozen water was enough to be called ice cream.
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Hyeyoung is a participant of the LiNK English Language Program (LELP), which serves to not only help North Korean defectors build confidence and skills in English, but develop their capacity as advocates for this issue. To that end, we partnered with select LELP “columnists” to write and polish personal essays through multiple rounds of external feedback and revision. Our goal is to have more North Koreans share their stories directly and lead efforts to change the narrative.
We believe the North Korean people can achieve their liberty in our lifetime.
Opportunities like LELP invest in the people building that future now. Help more North Koreans find their voice, reach their goals, and lead change on this issue.
