Doesn’t get any bigger than this. Adrian Hong, LiNK founder, is stepping down and movin’ on up
Friends,
We have come a long way together since March 27, 2004 - the day LiNK was created. It was born of a powerful, visceral reaction to the injustices that played out before our eyes. Innocents imprisoned and tortured. Women sold as chattel. Children stolen or abandoned, left to fend for themselves. Then, as today, we knew: this cannot be right. This cannot be the way humans were meant to live. And thus, in an attempt to seek a solution, LiNK came to be.
We have come a long way from that first Summit held in 2004; a small gathering of a few dozen dedicated young and aspiring activists in over their heads. For two days they met on plastic desks arranged on the grounds of a local Tae Kwon Do school in San Diego, made this cause their own, and committed to real, concerted action on behalf of a people they had never met, whose plight gripped their hearts and, quite often, haunted their dreams.
LiNK was created for one purpose and one purpose only - to find real solutions to the suffering of the North Korean people. Four years out, we have yet to find a real, sustainable solution. North Korea remains under a cruel dictatorship unrivaled in the world. Refugees remain on the run - hunted, exploited and repatriated by unsympathetic neighbors to the DPRK. The human rights agenda remains off the list of priorities for governments and institutions around the world.
At the same time, we have, together, saved lives. Through the sacrifices of several dedicated LiNK field workers and the cooperation of some key players, refugees have found shelter, friendship, food and care, and a lucky few, freedom. Through the generous donations of our supporters, policymakers in Washington, New York, Brussels, Geneva, London, Paris, Ottawa, Prague, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and other centers around the world have learned of this crisis and pledged their support. We have not yet won this fight - and it will prove to be a most difficult one - but we have made a great deal of progress. We have learned a great deal more about this cause, the powers that be, and the key players that must line up. We have learned what works and what does not. We have been able to engage policymakers in effective ways and win allies at all levels. We have helped to raise the consciousness of a new generation of activists and advocates. We have changed policies, won small battles and saved lives. And we will do more as we move forward.
This past summer, I had the privilege of serving as a visiting lecturer at Seoul’s Ewha University. I taught a course entitled, “America, Human Rights and Foreign Policy.” For weeks, my students and I analyzed every major genocide and humanitarian crisis in the past century - from the Armenian Genocide to the Holocaust, the Khmer Rouge to the current crisis in Darfur. We discussed important questions - why did people die? How did it all take place? Most importantly: What did the world do in response?
The sad truth emerged: in almost every situation, the world looked on and did nothing while hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions, suffered from starvation, atrocity, disease or murder. We will not allow this to be the case in North Korea. We cannot fail.
This summer has been a fruitful and busy time for us here at LiNK. We have reassessed our work and effectiveness in every area and at every level - from the grassroots to advocacy, from underground shelters to policy debates. We have looked at the progress we’ve made so far, and where we hope to be headed, and have made some difficult decisions for the sake of this cause. For four years, LiNK has been trying to be a complete solution - working end-to-end, attacking the symptoms and problems simultaneously, working hard to raise awareness, stimulate advocacy, and engage in field work. We have realized that we cannot do all things at the same time, and still do them all well.
This coming January will see the emergence of a new, improved LiNK. LiNK will narrow its mandate and focus to two particular areas of strength - raising widespread awareness in the grassroots, and activism in the streets and field. The organization will focus on building an international base of voices, donors and advocates for this cause, and expand its field operations throughout the world - from underground shelters and safe houses throughout Asia, to refugee resettlement projects in South Korea and the United States. Beginning now, LiNK will be helmed by the very capable Hannah Song, who until now has served for two years as Deputy Director of LiNK. As you may be aware, Miss Song left a promising career in advertising in New York, taking significant pay and prestige cuts to work in Washington. She has been a tremendous part of what LiNK has been able to accomplish. All of our dynamic core leadership, who remain active at Headquarters and around the world, took a chance and cast their lot in with an untested organization with no funds and assets to speak of. Their talent and abilities have made up for my shortcomings in leadership.
On another front, I will be leaving LiNK to plant the seeds for renewed, sustained and intensified political advocacy and policy work for this cause. It is an area in dire need of more resources, voices and energy. The few noble groups who have tirelessly functioned as a voice in the wilderness have often been pushed aside or drowned out despite their best efforts. We cannot control the circumstances surrounding this issue. We cannot prevent North Korea from launching missiles or testing bombs, and pushing the dialogue to be one exclusively about security and stability. But we can make a stronger, better case for the protection of human rights on the peninsula. With the help of top scholars, experts and leaders, we can attest to the linkages and mutual dependencies of stability and human rights, security and humanitarian conditions - a discussion that is sorely lacking in our broader policy debates. We can press for the notion that policy must be realistic and achievable, but also be morally compelling and comprehensive. It is our hope that, with the help of many others, we will be able to make the case for the forgotten North Korean people. We believe a strengthened advocacy front coupled with an energized grassroots base will prove to be the beginning of the end of this crisis.
Despite the inherent weight of this cause, the future looks bright. History marches on, and has shown that the days of dictators, juntas and oppression are always numbered. Progress always has its way. Liberty will come for the North Koreans soon. The next few months and years look extremely promising and exciting, and I will leave details to LiNK’s new Executive Director Hannah Song to relate to you in the coming months.
It has been a tremendous privilege and honor to serve this most worthy cause. It has stretched and deepened my heart and soul, and taught me about what really matters in life. LiNK’s successes have been fruits of the labors of a great many individuals - unnamed field workers, HQ officers, local coordinators and hard-working volunteers and supporters throughout the world, and key allies in various governments, offices, NGOs and agencies. Thank you for your service and commitment!
May we soon have no reason to exist.
With gratitude,
Onwards and Upwards!
Good luck man.
