Controversies over Shin Eun-mi
.jpg?w=728)
By Jay Kim
Stories and pictures of a Korean-American, Shin Eun-mi, have been all over the newspapers and televisions these days. I feel sad as a fellow Korean-American whenever I read those articles. It is fine that she visited North Korea and said she’s only seen good things there, but I cannot understand why she had to come to South Korea and make unnecessary remarks such as “North Koreans are full of expectations and hope about their young leader Kim Jong-un” that turn South Korea upside down.
The leader that Shin praised is actually a dictator that the whole world despises. The U.N. Commission on Human Rights submitted to the General Assembly a 400-page report on the crimes against humanity that Kim Jong-un had committed, and the General Assembly passed a resolution to refer the case to the International Criminal Court in overwhelming support (111 for vs. 19 against). In this resolution, there are detailed descriptions of the unspeakable atrocities, such as cruel tortures and rapes that occurred in prison camps. I heard that North Korean defectors who escaped from those prison camps cried together after reading the stories of their horrible experiences.
These North Korean defectors have been infuriated by Shin’s remarks such as “things are not as bad in North Korea as their defectors have said,” or “80-90 percent of North Korean defectors want to return to the North.” To the defectors who challenged her for a debate on the reality of the North, her rather curious answer that it would not help the reunification of the two Koreas to have a debate to decide on whose North Korea and whose perspective is real and right.
Shin may have been treated like a VIP during her visit in North Korea, and may have been swayed by its propaganda, which was specifically produced to get visitors to believe that the North was not as bad as North Korean defectors had said. When she came to South Korea, she may have been in a kind of ecstasy from being in the spotlight. Surrounding her with numerous cameras and questions of reporters wherever she went, the media attention was so intense that it could have made her feel like an actress heading to an Academy Awards ceremony. I can hardly understand why each of her talks drew nearly 200 people who paid 15,000 won for a ticket. It must have made the organizers happy and led them to have a nationwide tour.
There was concern that a bad thing could happen to her if her talks continued, despite peoples’ animosity. Unfortunately (but unsurprisingly), someone threw an explosive in the lecture hall during one of her talks and injured two people, creating chaos. It could have been a big disaster. Meanwhile, why were the police unable to expect that an incident like this would happen? In the U.S., the police would have isolated Shin as a public safety threat and have recommended her to immediately leave the country for the reason that the police cannot guarantee her safety. If this had happened, it would have prevented such an incident where an 18-year-old high school student threw an explosive and was sent to prison.
It is fully understandable if the government has been cautious because Shin is a U.S. citizen, but I think that she should be punished by the law if her talks violated the National Security Law. I am worried that anti-American protests will occur again if the government gives the impression that it is granting her a privilege for being a U.S. citizen.
The U.S. would not praise Shin’s behavior ― based on an incorrect, biased view about North Korea ― that hurt our feelings in the name of helping reunification. It would be advisable to use diplomatic channels between the two countries to avoid a misunderstanding by explaining that there is a limit to tolerance even though South Korea as a democratic country respects individual freedom.
I believe that South Korea as a whole is also morally responsible for Shin’s case. If they simply ignored her and her talks, things would have fizzled out. If I had been surrounded by such a fuss, I would also have made some gaffes from excitement. I do not know how much effect her talks had on people, but I do not believe that anyone in this country have changed their mind because of her words. Unless there was a mastermind organization that controlled her from behind, I think South Korea should treat the whole thing simply as a one-time happening and go on with their lives together.
Jay Kim is a former U.S. congressman. He is chairman of the Kim Chang Joon U.S.-Korea Foundation. For more information, visit Kim's website at www.jayckim.com.