LiNK and North Korea

Happy New Year!!!
I've decided that this year my blog is going to continue it's transformation from a diary to opinionated column. Basically my life is starting to get boring and I have nothing to write. I also have done a ton of academic reading that will be wasted if I don't write it all down.

Most of you will know, if you don't why not, that I have a fascination with the Korean pennisula and see it as both the most extreme cases of human behaviour and yet the biggest potential in the world.

I should say first that I don't particularly believe in charities or NGO's unless in short term emergency cases. I feel they highlight issues well but allow government to neglect serious social problems, particularly in South Korea. Saying this though I want to draw your attention to a charity I'm willing to support and believe in. Why I hear you holler? Well go to any academic journal, book, debate or political policy and you will discover unlimited amout about the North Korea nuclear issue. This I feel though is completely over shadowing the most extreme case of human right, economic, health and political abuses in modern history. This is a country that still has concentration camps and deliberately enforces a closed society.

The charity is called 'Liberty in North Korea' (LiNK) and essentially tries to highlight these issues as well as support refugees, it's a US based organisation with branches across the globe. Spend one hour watching this video and then go to my facebook page and add it to your causes.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=zHvf8OhYND4&feature=related

Over the coming weeks I do have a few blogs lined up about Korea and won't try to put you on a hippie campaign but today I will.

If you haven't watched the video just ask yourself 'When your children or the children of North Korea grow up and ask you 'Why did you let it last so long?' and 'What did you do?' What will you answer?'

It's not a lack of military, money, intelligence, population or ethics. It's a lack of a desire to change things.