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Doubtless we all know about North Korea as a nuclear threat. But what about the human rights crisis which takes place there? There is an extreme food shortage in North Korea. It is estimated that 1 to 3 million North Koreans have already died of hunger. The number is an estimate for one reason and one reason alone. North Korea refuses to allow foreigners contact with normal citizens and forbids aid groups to monitor the distrubution of aid. It is known, however, that food does not reach the needy, rather it is distributed to party loyalists.

Leaving the country is illegal. Those who do face capture and return to North Korea by China, despite a treaty signed by China with the UN agreeing to grant North Korean refugees asylum. Women found in China are often forced into abusive marriages or forced prostitution. Those who are caught are sent back to North Korea without a hearing in China. Back in North Korea they face torture, imprisonment, even death.

Here are some sources of information, which I recommend you have a look at.

www.seoultrain.com/
A gripping documentary of the underground railroad.

http://www.chosunjournal.com/vollertseninterview.html
An interview with Norbert Vollertsen, a human rights activist on behalf of North Korea. Also take a look around chosunjournal.com.

http://www.time.com/time/asia/covers/501060501/index.html
An more recent article concerning North Korea and the Underground Railroad.

www.helpinghandskorea.org
An NGO which seeks to provide aid to North Koreans in China and the most desperate sections of North Korea.

Well I guess America's gearing up for war with North Korea. Great. We're going try to solve a shitstorm of a country by launching it into conflict. Just great.

Ya.. I know it's an issue. It's no laughing matter, not at all. It's just that people tend to forget about the human rights abuses.