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The Korea Times

Entertainment & Arts

SCMP
Asia

The Korea Times

Opinion

Columnists

20. Casey Latigue

My heart still isn't broken

When I meet South Koreans who are negative about North Korean refugees, I ask them why. Some mention having to pay higher taxes because of North Korea and North Korean refugees and the negative stories they read about North Korean refugees. When I ask how many North Korean refugees they have met, most say, “None.”

2023-01-19 16:50

Honorary citizenship

I have lived in several cities in three different countries (United States, Taiwan and South Korea). Seoul is the first city to choose me.

2022-12-22 16:40

Workable worders

Some moderators and organization leaders are apologetic when they introduce me at their events. One organization president introducing me as the keynote speaker distanced herself so much from my activities that after she concluded her remarks, I asked, “Are you still sure you want me to speak?”

2022-11-24 14:14

Normal questions, abnormal country

Over the last decade I have organized numerous conferences and forums featuring North Korean refugees. One of the best insights was from a North Korean refugee who said during Q&A that one main reason North Korea continues to survive is that people look at it as a normal country.

2022-10-27 15:16

Lovely criticism

Some of the most heartwarming criticism I have received has come from the North Korean refugees I have worked with for almost a decade.

2022-09-01 16:14

Tears in our office

A great thing about the internet is the many great quotes of wisdom. Sometimes, however, that wisdom can come into conflict.

2022-08-04 16:51

Humor, my CIA way

A South Korean friend recently asked me to “teach” her how to have a good sense of humor. She admired me for having fun even though I deal with serious social issues. My secret sauce? I turn alleged insults into compliments, then get back to work fueled by the compliments of critics.

2022-07-07 16:23

Unthinkable in North Korea

Tae Yong-ho made international news in 2016 with his dramatic escape to South Korea. Then North Korea's deputy ambassador to the United Kingdom, he has been described as one of the highest-ranking North Korean officials to escape from the regime.

2022-06-09 16:24

Are North Koreans different?

Trolls are a fact of life on the internet. Some newspapers, blogs and websites even freeze their comments sections because of disgruntled people targeting them and their readers.

2022-05-12 17:00

Writing recommendation letters

By Casey Lartigue Jr. I haven't been a student in many, many moons, but every year I know when university application deadlines are approaching. That's because I start receiving requests to write recommendation letters and to review statements of purpose (SOP) as part of applications.I can only blame myself for many outstanding people asking me to vouch for them. In the last nine years, more than 1,200 volunteers have tutored and mentored North Korean refugees in English and public speaking in the organization I co-founded with South Korean researcher Eunkoo Lee.After writing many recommenda...

2022-04-14 16:25

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