Interviews with Kim Seung-chul

When it comes to a strategy on how to change North Korea, I feel my approach is unique compared to general views. The outside world has applied economic sanctions and pressure on North Korea for over two decades now, but [the regime] still stands.

This is why my approach is focused on changing the mindsets of the elite. If they start to understand what is wrong with North Korea, and these people become critical of their own system and of their own leader then they could generate energy [that influences] public opinion and leads to meaningful change and democracy in North Korea.

The ultimate purpose of North Korea Reform Radio and my personal goal is to develop future leaders in North Korea; people who can lead an open and democratized North Korea. That is what we are trying to do with our programs and DVDs.

If you look at what happened in countries like Iraq, Libya, Egypt, and Ukraine you can see that without the presence of a good leader, even when change comes, a country can struggle towards democracy, stabilization, or economic development.

While some people in the United States and South Korea might think developing a future leader in North Korea is impossible, I disagree. If we provide the right kind of assistance and apply the right tools, then I think it is possible to educate North Koreans and develop a future leader among them.

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.