If they have any credibility left, the UN really need to tell them to pound sand (Via. Japundit)

BEIJING — North Korea has written letters to the United Nations calling for a human rights investigation into Japan’s treatment of Koreans resident in Japan, the official Korean Central News Agency reported Sunday.

“The DPRK permanent representative at the United Nations sent letters to the U.N. secretary general and the president of the U.N. General Assembly on July 6 as regards the Japanese authorities’ evermore pronounced suppression of the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon),” KCNA said.

Update: It gets worse

WASHINGTON — The State Department said Monday that what North Korea has shut down under a six-party deal cut in February is a 5-megawatt nuclear reactor in Yongbyon, one of the five facilities that Pyongyang agreed to close with a U.N. nuclear watchdog.

The department issued the statement in response to a media inquiry about which of the five nuclear facilities the IAEA confirmed North Korea has shut down.

“The International Atomic Energy Agency has verified that North Korea has shut down the 5-megawatt reactor at the Yongbyon complex, and intends to verify the status of the remaining four facilities by Wednesday, July 18,” the department said in a statement.

The five consist of the four facilities in Yongbyon — the 5-megawatt nuclear reactor, a spent fuel reprocessing facility, a 50-megawatt reactor under construction and a fuel fabrication plant — as well as a 200-megawatt reactor under construction in Taechon.

Washington used the plural form of “nuclear facilities in Yongbyon” when referring to what was closed, but Pyongyang used the singular form of “the Yongbyon nuclear facility” in announcing the closure.

Last time I checked, wordplay is not a human rights violation.

Time has a feature on North Korea’s illegal (government sanctioned) activities around the world. Not to brag, but the title “The Soprano State” is derived from the dissertation of Sheena Chestnut, which was written over two years ago. I know this because a copy is currently on my desk. The Time article doesn not even contain any new information, as a search in my own blog archives covers each type of activity.

The latest issue of International Security is not up yet, but as soon as it is I can link to the full article.

Buy hey, getting the mainstream media’s attention two years late is better than no attention.

This is pretty big (Via. OneFreeKorea)

KCC announces formation of Jericho Institute, which will launch the “LET MY PEOPLE GO” Banner and 50 States Resolution project.

Irvine, CA –Korean Church Coalition (KCC) for North Korea Freedom announces formation of Jericho Institute, which will launch the “LET MY PEOPLE GO Before 2008 Beijing Olympics” Banner and 50 States Resolution campaigns. These campaigns are intended to bring awareness to all 50 states and the world, the inhumane treatment of the North Korean refugees within China’s borders by the Government of China, and demand that China adopt a policy to allow the North Koreans within its borders be granted Refugee Status and be allowed to leave to a third country before the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

A Press Conference will be held on July 17, 2007 at the National Press Club, Washington D.C. at 9:45 AM, followed by a Kick Off Rally at the West Lawn of the US Capitol at 12:00 Noon, concluded by a Prayer Vigil at Pilgrim Church, Burke Virginia at 7:00 PM. There will be two additional kick off rallies held in Tokyo, Japan on August 13th, and in Seoul, Korea on August 15, 2007 .

A List of the Speakers for the 9:45 Press Conference and 12:00 Noon Rally is attached hereto.

The Noon rally will be attended by KCC representative from every state in the United States.

The Korean American Community will not stop praying nor rest until freedom for all North Koreans is finally won.

Additional information may be obtained at www.letmypeoplego2008.com.

Any doubts or skepticism on the ends of Christian groups involving themselves in the North Korean human rights movement ought to be cast aside. It is obvious the end goal is to convert North Korean and it seems they are doing a pretty good job of it. But more importantly, now the movement has the involvement of a large number of people around the nation (not to mention concentrated around key congressional districts). Plus, based on my experience with the KCC chapter in my campus, they are pretty pro-active group too.

Now is not the time to nitpick on who can join us. If we want to achieve the desired results, we will need all the people we can get on board. Having one of the largest Korean Congregation is part of that.