Mick Hartley

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Robert Park Update

The evangelical Christian who marched across the North Korean border on Christmas Eve with the intention of confronting the Dear Leader about his Human Rights crimes was released six weeks later a broken man.

A report in the Chosun Ilbo now suggests that Robert Park was sexually abused while held captive:

North Korean security agents specialize in torture techniques using needles, water and electric shocks, but recently, sexual abuse is said to have become the preferred interrogation tool.

Robert Park, a missionary released by Pyongyang last month after crossing the border on Christmas Eve, was severely beaten and sexually abused during his detention, according to his close associates. Park, 28, who was released after 43 days in detention has received psychiatric treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

He was severely beaten by North Korean border guards just after crossing over the border. After being transferred to Pyongyang, Park was then tortured by security agents. The sexual abuse was probably intended to break his will and exact a fabricated apology.

The report is written by Kang Chol-hwan, a former inmate of Yodok concentration camp, and author of The Aquariums of Pyongyang - so a man with some authority here. We wait to see if Robert Park can bring himself personally to testify to this.

More here.

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4 responses to “Robert Park Update”

  1. Dongsoo Go Avatar
    Dongsoo Go

    Thats a totally made up lie.
    Robert Park was supposed to have had an public annoucement yesterday 3/15/monday/2010 according to freeroberpark.wordpress by this UK person who just happen to have commucation link to Robert Park and knows what Robert Park is going to do.
    He was imprisoned upon his return to US.
    It seems like many people who are supposed to be doctors visited him, drugged him, and taken him to mental hospital.
    He was supposed to have been released, but nobody has seen him.
    His email is also managed by some unknown person accordign to the site.

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  2. Mick H Avatar
    Mick H

    Imprisoned on his return to the US? Eh?
    It’s true enough though that the FreeRobertPark website http://freerobertpark.wordpress.com/ did suggest that Park would speak in public, but that such an event has now been cancelled. It’s a strange site. There are a numnber of comments from our friend Dongsoo – who seems to accept at face value Park’s statements about finding religious freedom in North Korea.

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  3. tolkein Avatar
    tolkein

    I wonder which circle of hell is reserved for apologists for the DPRK?
    I must read my Divine Comedy again to check.
    I expect it’ll be quite crowded, unfortunately. Will Stalin’s and Mao’s and Hitler’s and Pol Pot’s apologists be there as well?
    Perhaps a special place for some CiF regulars as well.

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  4. Dongsoo Go Avatar
    Dongsoo Go

    Any news about Robert Park is from the site.
    As you can see from the site’s title, its anti-North Korean propaganda site.
    Yes, that site is strange. That site owner is from UK.
    (I saw his email with extension .uk )
    But that site owner somehow knows what Robert Park is planning to do.
    I feel like that site is some kind of 007 site.
    Robert Park is heavily watched by these people.
    For the safety of Robert Park and Robert Park’s family, we need to demand public appearing of Robert Park.
    He is in the middle of very heavy political propaganda.
    I am 100% positive, Robert Park (and his family) are being threatened and forced not to speak out.

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