Interviews with Kim Seung-chul

I have been inspired by examples from other democratic movements around the world. I learned a lot from what happened in the Middle East, Africa, and countries like Libya.

I learned a lot from Iraq in 2003 about what is needed and what is necessary for democratizing North Korea. I learned that if a country is to truly pursue democratization, then a leadership group must be in place that can lead the country after the dictatorship ends.

With regards to Egypt and the Middle East, I learned from their experience that a country’s people must be mentally prepared in order for democracy, human rights stability, and development to take place.

Lastly, with the example of Ukraine, I learned that a country can get into trouble if everyone is after power and the people are only mobilized for that cause. I warn myself that this could happen with Korea as well. This is why I think, that educating the elite and the [general public] is the priority over eliminating the regime.

Kim Seung-chul is the founder of North Korea Reform Radio and a passionate advocate for freedom of information. Kim grew up in North Korea where all media is completely controlled by the regime. Desperate for alternative sources of information, he would listen to illegal foreign radio broadcasts targeted at North Koreans. As a result of his exposure to independent media, Kim started questioning his country’s totalitarian system.

Trained as a civil engineer, Kim was selected to work on an international construction project in Siberia. He was amazed at how people in Russia’s most isolated region still had access to basic necessities that were unavailable to many in North Korea. Kim decided to escape and start a new life in South Korea. Once there, he launched shortwave radio programming that targets North Korea’s elite who Kim believes will lead the country’s liberalization. Remembering his own experiences with foreign radio, Kim made it his mission to deliver alternative sources of information to his people and inspire change. As such, North Korea Reform Radio delivers news and programming on leadership, reform, and liberalization that offers elites different perspectives on North Korean society and political philosophy.