BKS and The All-Party Parliamentary Group for North Korea Meeting, 19 October 2022
Written by: Douglas Barrett | Posted on: October 24th, 2022
“A Korean Micro-Reunification”
The British Korean Society partnered with the All-Party Parliamentary Group for North Korea on 19 October to hold a fascinating talk entitled “A Korean Micro-Reunification”. The talk was given by Jihyun Park and Seh-lynn Chai who have co-authored the book, “The Hard Road Out”. The talk was held in the House of Lords and hosted by Lord David Alton of Liverpool. The meeting was chaired by our very own Martin Uden, former British Ambassador to Seoul.
Jihyun is a North Korean refugee who came to the UK in 2008. The book delves into her life in the DPRK; how she managed to escape to freedom; and her arrival in the UK. Also, and most importantly, Jihyun and Seh-Lynn spoke about their complex and intertwined relationship – and how growing up in different parts of the Peninsula affected their approach to each other.
Seh-lynn met Jihyun when Amnesty International asked her to help with interpretation for an interview in 2014 – incredibly Jihyun was the first North Korean she had ever met. Seh-lynn, the daughter of a Korean diplomat, was so concerned about meeting someone from the DPRK she reported the interaction to the ROK Embassy in London. The pair bumped into each other a few years later – and after a while Jihyun asked Seh-lynn to co-author a book about her experiences.
The talk threw up some fascinating insights. Propaganda and education on both sides of the 38th parallel mean that both sides instinctively distrust each other, thus making it very difficult to work together. Seh-lynn was aware that in the 1970’s the DPRK was more prosperous than its southern neighbour. Jihyun noted that few people smile in public in the DPRK – it’s a very serious place. She described their experience as a personal reunification.
In response to some stimulating questions, the pair shared remarkable confidence regarding reunification on the peninsula. Germany had shown the way with a people-driven reunification of east and west. Refugees from the DPRK live side-by-side with their southern neighbours in New Malden. Indeed North Koreans actively participate in the democratic process. Their common language, despite regional dialects, should drive the two peoples together. The main issue preventing reunification may simply be apathy. Young people in Seoul do not have the same connection and feelings about Pyongyang as their elders.
“The Hard Road Out” was first published in French. As well as the UK, it’s due to be published in the USA, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and many other countries. Seh-lynn explained that this was the best way to spread their message about the two Koreas and encourage others to be active in working for reunification.
35 BKS members were in attendance to hear this incredible study on Inter Korean relations. We’d would like to thank Lord Alton for hosting and Philip Gowman and Sylvia Park for helping to make this meeting possible.
