Into the cauldron II

More on Robert Park’s crossing into North Korea.

North Korea appears to be silent regarding the situation with Park. Some outlets are reporting that he has indeed been detained, while others remain silent. As of now, all that is known is that on Christmas day Park had deliberately entered North Korea from its northern border with the hope of raising global awareness to its atrocious human rights record. It was a drastic and fateful decision, and one that may very well claim Park's life. According to Reuters, Park himself acknowledged the risk,  "Until the concentration camps are liberated, I do not want to come out. If I have to die with them, I will."

Park's crossing into North Korea was apparently influenced by his religious zeal and his great passion for the North Korean people. As a self-identified seer, he claimed to have had a vision of North Korea's liberation. People who knew him described him as being inspired by the martyrdom of the early Christians. He seemed not to be deterred. In fact, it was reported that he heralded his arrival into the DPRK with loud proclamations of God's love.

His actions were extreme to be sure. The National provides some perspective from fellow activists and the reservations they hold to Park's actions. Surely there will be political angles, humanitarian angles, and religious angles from which we can examine Park's endeavor. Time will give us a better picture of the outcomes -- for good or ill --  and of course there will always be the countless unknown influences which will bear upon the flow of life. But for now, let us humbly grant Robert Park his wishes and draw our attention to North Korea and to their appalling human rights record which he set out to take on.

The oppression of the North Korean people and the destitute conditions they must survive in is widely known. A quick google search can reveal the harrowing extent of their plight. Prison camps, public executions, forced prostitution, famine, and total control of the most basic civil liberties are all part and parcel for the DPRK. Citizens are not allowed to leave the country by their own free will and defectors run the ultimate risk of being caught and repatriated back to torture, hard labor, and/or execution.

It's simply heartbreaking. Nobody with a human heart and a will to see things whole could not be moved deeply by such suffering on earth. Robert Park surely was stricken. He had immersed himself in activism and in prayer for the people. He wanted to see an end to the crushing reality of Kim Jong Il's regime. And like many other heroes who sacrifice their time, comforts, and safety for the North Korean people, he too gave himself to the cause. By venturing headlong into the heartless grip of Kim Jong Il, Park had entered into a harsh reality few could imagine if they dared. Some may see him as reckless, counter-productive, or even delusional, but the overarching spirit of his actions was to serve as a light for people in darkness and that should be commended.