Dying to live. Living to serve

I this episode I sit down with NKFI Founder and President, Kenneth Bae, to discuss his heart for the North Korean people, his time in a North Korean prison, and how his experiences are manifesting today to serve and free the North Korean people, and fight for the unification of the peninsula. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Voices from the Heaven Kingdom is a program dedicated to sharing North Korean refugee stories, facts about their homeland, and facilitate conversations around some of the most pressing issues that the people face today and into the future. New Korea Foundation International acts as an intermediary, advocate, and public-facing voice for those willing to share their knowledge and experiences with you, the listener. All names have been changed to protect all participants and their family members who may remain in North Korea. Episode 4. A significant part of living is centered around making choices. What you want to eat, where you want to live, what kind of career you would like to pursue. Very few of these choices come with restrictions or consequences. And that truly is freedom. Most of us never think about. For North Koreans, there is little to no freedom of choice. And when there is a choice, nine times out of ten, it is to survive. No choices around career or cars or travel or where you want to eat out. It's simply just survive or die trying. For those who attempt to escape, they're willing to risk everything just for a taste of freedom and a chance to live. They will cross partially frozen rivers while being shot at, squeeze through electric fences, hide in holes, trek through mountains and the countryside on foot for 2,300 plus miles, just to live and embrace freedom for the first time in their lives. Then they'll travel another 2,500 miles to South Korea to reach safety and freedom. Once you hear about their journeys, their odds of success, what they lost in order to gain freedom, etc., especially if you're hearing it directly from a North Korean, you can't help but feel moved and become an advocate. This is the case for Kenneth Bay. Always having been keenly aware of North Korea, Kenneth found himself quickly moving from missionary to mouthpiece. Through his journey to advocate for, reach out to, and save North Korean people, Kenneth found himself in a position where his life hung in the balance, and he was faced with a choice dying to live or living to serve. In this interview with Kenneth, I was visiting the NKFI offices in Seoul, South Korea. We were able to sit down for just a minute or two and talk about his experiences and his perspective and what led him to the work he does today. All right. Well, Kenneth, it has been a busy week here in the South Korean office, and we finally have a moment to sit down and talk a little bit about how you got here, what you do, why you do it, and all of the good stuff. So I'm wondering if you can tell us a little bit about your background, um, your inspiration and the heart for North Korean people, and how you ended up imprisoned for 735 days in a North Korean labor camp. I know it's hard to summarize that, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:10

Um well um I was born in South Korea, um, and our family moved to the United States in 1985. I was 16 at the time. So I became American citizen. Uh but my my dad's side of family, uh my dad was born in the north side of Korea uh before the Korean War. So I always had um grew up with uh you know some of the relatives speaking North Korean accent and uh not able to go back to the homeland. So that was always in the back of my mind and my heart. Uh and then uh during the 1990s, um the more than three million people starved to death uh in North Korea, and hundreds of thousands of people escaped from North Korea uh practically for food uh and uh trying to survive. And many were sent back to North Korea, and many ended up in South Korea as well. Um so when I was working as a missionary in China, I've been contacted by some of the missionary who are working with North Korean refugees and the North Korean folks that were working in in China at the time. So um I was able to meet up with some of the people. Uh one time in 2000, I think it was back in 2005, 21 years ago, I was able to visit a place called Dandong, which is next to North Korea border. I was able to meet with uh two North Korean people. They just came out of North Korea. One of them was about 30 some years old, and she became a believer about three weeks ago. So I asked her, how can we pray for you? And she said, No, don't pray for me, because I I already got I already know Jesus. Please pray for people in North Korea. They need to know who Jesus is too. And then the other man was about 50 years old, he became Christian about a month ago. So I asked him, How do you feel now since you uh believe in in God now? And he said, uh, I did not have hope to live my life, but now I find hope. And when he said that, I knew that he said he found hope in Jesus Christ. So um these uh the meeting with these two folks that really um changed my direction and uh deepened my heart for North Korea. Uh and been I wanted to visit uh this city, uh not only by myself, but with us uh hundreds of people that visiting uh uh China at the time and said, would you like to go see North Korea up front? And then we go there to pray, worship in behalf of people. And then uh and I ended up moved to this the same particular city, and we opened up the uh youth admission Wangwin base there as well. And as I was working there as a base leader, I wanted to see if we can do more than just praying from outside of North Korea. So we pray and then God opened the door for us to to be able to visit uh North Korea in 2010 for the first time. And then uh when I was visiting, I really felt the Lord uh speaking to me clearly that my people's eyes are blind and they cannot see, my people's um ears are deaf and they cannot hear, my people's, you know, their mouth is mute and they cannot speak. But I will open their eyes and they will see my glory once again. I'll open their ears, they'll hear my voice once again, I'll open their mouth so they will praise my name once again. So this is when I really felt that my it was God's clear calling to be a bridge between North Korean people uh to the rest of the world. So I ended up bringing a Christian uh intercessor as a Torah uh group uh into North Korea. Uh-huh. I've been going back and forth about 18 times. At the end, uh we went there to pray and worship and uh really love the people. Uh we travel and experience the culture and the nature and meeting people. At the end, I was arrested because I made a terrible mistake by carrying a portable computer hard drive. And then they discovered that, uh and part of that, uh they discovered there is um um North Korea uh related videos um that were produced by Western media and they didn't like the fact that uh it was uh kind of negative to be negatively uh portrayed in a way. And so they uh there was a reason that why that I was arrested. But at the end, um they also realized that I was a missionary going in and out of North Korea. Uh uh and then they charged me to overthrow the North Korean governments through prayer and worship, and I ended up uh getting a 15 years of hard labor sentence to overthrow the government of North Korea. And I was the first American actually was detained and served uh in North Korea uh labor camp. And I ended up in 735 days, two years and five days in North Korea before I was actually um rescued by uh American delegate who sent by President Obama at that time. So that was 2014, November 8th, I was able to come home.

SPEAKER_00 8:39

Man, wow. I remember that time so well. Seems like it was yesterday. I'm glad it was not yesterday. I was gonna ask you if there was a specific moment uh when you felt the call to take up the mantle of advocacy, you know, the Great Commission, and become an advocate. It sounds like it really began when you met the two individuals for the first time. That was kind of the starting momentum, but then it really took off once you had visited uh for the first time. Is that that's kind of how it went? That's correct.

SPEAKER_02 9:11

I was able to bring about 300 intercestors from 17 different nations over 18 different times. Um and then our tour company we just set up just for that. Uh we were able to uh go in and out for about 23 different times. I led 18 out of 23 trips to North Korea in over a year and a half period of time. And then while we're visiting, uh we realized that they're just uh regular people just like us, just you and I. And but they happen to be in North Korea and they're so blinded and they're not able to they they they are cut off from the rest of the world. And I really felt that they need to um know the truth, and truth will set them free. And I was praying and we asked the Lord that God will restore the land, restore his people so they can live in freedom and equalities and something that we take it for granted.

SPEAKER_00 10:09

Yeah, I think this week as we've as I've spoken with other um, you know, the various North Koreans that we've had in and when we went up to the site the other day to see the stark difference between North Korea's land and South Korea. You know, you look to South Korea and there are these enormous buildings and development, and it's you know, North Korea is these three or four-story buildings at most, and dirt road. And it kind of being from the being from the US, you you kind of wonder, can they not see you know the difference between the two just standing at the border, but knowing everything about not being able to travel and the narrative that they're told? Um you know, it's just so much to to th process and really think about in addition to everything else that's involved, food shortages and you know, lack of freedom and and all of that. So um, you know, so what do you feel are the three biggest challenges facing North Koreans today? I mean, I know we had the you know, flooding in previous years and the famine of the 90s and COVID, the impact of COVID, which we don't you know really know 100 percent the true story of that, but today. What do you think are the three biggest challenges that North Koreans are facing today?

SPEAKER_02 11:34

Number one would be uh definitely food shortage. Um they are then every year they they do have uh food shortage every year, but however, last few years, especially since COVID, they haven't received any international aids uh or uh some humanitarian uh goods from uh China or other countries. And therefore uh the whatever they were relying upon uh you know by international support hasn't been coming in um because they I think they purposely disided not to receive those uh um in their own b you know for their own benefit or for on their sake. And therefore, there's a tremendous uh food shortage uh in North Korea that's very uh challenging. And the second thing would be um right now, because of food shortage, people are starving. So what they've been doing is the government's been pro used to provide rations and food and find a way for them to survive, but they haven't been doing that for the last more than 20 years now. For most people, um they have to rely on themselves to provide for their family. So they've been working uh side job, like working at uh you know, like free markets and some different places. So but some of them are able to um get smuggled uh some of the goods from China to sell at the free market uh systems. Uh however, the last couple of years all the smuggling has been banned and they're not able to do any smuggling. So therefore, there's no product to sell at the market, and that means there's no um money is going around, and so therefore, you know, people used to at least buy something or uh make money and you know buy their uh food, the government does not is not providing, but that's not uh possible. So food shortage and then money shortage right now, the exchange rate about a year and a half ago, it was 8,001, Korean, North Korean one to one dollar. Now it's about $77,000, $77,001 versus $1. So you're talking about almost 10 times falls that increase in last year and a half. So that means the economic collapse has been happening under now in food shortage, but the money is not working, the economy is not working. Uh third thing is that the biggest challenge would be um informational blockage, is what's been happening in North Korea, because North Korean governments feel it very insecure to have their citizens to receive any information from outside, especially watching Korean drama, North South Korean dramas and movies, and listening to K-pop and all these things, they see it as direct challenges to their system. And they've been banning these all these activities. Um you can go to prison for it by if you get caught or you know, watching some of the videos. If you've been distributing some videos, you can actually get terminated, I mean executed, or you get a fully 15 years hard labor sentence. So they take it very seriously. And then um in the last couple of years, uh uh with all this uh radio programming that we've been broadcasting North Korea, it's been suspended or been reduced by uh Voice of America and RFA, Radio Free Asia, and also South Korean government funded programs suspended or they get really reduced to about down to about 5 to 10 percent of what they used to be. So that means that people are not able to get any information, not able to listen or hear or see, watch anything from outside anymore. So therefore, they do have this uh challenges because they have no idea what is really happening outside of the wall. Um and then so that keeps them uh wonder whether they can make it, and they have no hope for them to continue because there's no um you know it's almost like information cut off. Information shortage is uh probably a third of the things that that they're going through, uh biggest challenges that they're having so far.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

So for really for all they know, there is no world or the world has ended outside of their border. That's right. So NKFI is doing a lot of work, not just within the South Korea and uh you know, like Jeju in these areas, but it's also doing work throughout areas of East Asia. And I'm wondering if you can talk a little bit about what the current programs that NKFI Korea is uh is managing, such as uh for those who've who followed what we do, you know, talk about maybe a little bit about Shalom House, kind of what it does, you know, leadership training and uh the recently launched uh New Korea Hope broadcast. If you can just give us a little bit of information on those.

SPEAKER_02 16:45

Yes. Um we've been um working um you know projects in third countries, uh in we call it Shalom House uh projects. We've been um sheltering and overseeing uh North Korean uh refugees. They're located in third countries. Um and then many of them scattered in the very rural area, forced uh marriage, or they've been uh human trafficked, you know, in all these families. And some some of them have been living there, hiding for 15-20 years now. Uh so but they don't really have any place to meet or gather. Um so they'll so for we decided to have like a place of refuge uh for North King refugees living in this condition, and so that they can come and do laundries because there's no, they don't have a, you know, the mo most of them live in the very rural area um and or just gather, have fellowship, and then so you know, do um uh community gatherings and different things have been happening. So we've been working with North Korean women's uh and their children, providing scholarship for them so that they'll be able to uh many of them, they were living in such a countryside, they don't know they only have elementary level education in the area. And then so you have to send your kids to uh local city, which is about hour and a half, two hours away, and then they have to go to boarding school there. Uh and so many of them uh after middle school, they decided to uh you know not continuing the rest of the education and then are able to provide uh for them, or they just want uh their kids to go get a job after that. So we decided to help them with high school education, and then some of them ended up in college, and we've been providing scholarship for their children. Uh they are reaching the college age right now. Um and then also we've been providing some medical care for some of the women. So they've never been to any hospital because they don't have any proper ID. Uh so we find a way that they can get a medical checkup. Uh so some of them they've never done that for 20 years, many of them living in worry. And so we are providing medical care, emotional, uh, one-on-one counseling over online, and then uh spiritual, uh kind of like discipleship and training is also happening and for among the people. So now the network has been growing. So we've been working with the many of them overseas, and also we've been also working with the many women and children in South Korea. There are about 35,000 refugees settled in South Korea right now. Um, and then uh we've been working especially with teenagers and just the kids that just came from North Korea, uh, and they are settled in South Korea, we've been helping with them with the developing uh character and leadership. So being providing leadership and training camp and uh reunification, English training camp so that uh they can come and learn English and to be able to not only learn English so that they can go to college, but but they'll be able to um you know hear the gospel for the first time. They'll be also uh having a heart for becoming a leader someday uh in a unified country someday so they can go back to their country to rebuild the nation. So we've been uh focusing on developing uh uh leaders uh for um you know especially younger generations for the last uh six, seven years. And they recently we've been transitioned into uh starting a broadcasting uh program to North Korea. We call it New Korea Hope Broadcasting. When I was in North Korea detained, many people wrote me a letter, and all saying that is, you know, we haven't forgotten you, you are not forgotten, uh, that you're not alone, we are praying for you, and so hang in there. So that's a letter of hope. The hundreds of the letter of hope came to me. Um, and these letters really helped me to sustain, not give up, not able to lose hope. And so I realized that um, you know, for those people who live in fear and without you know hope, I think if someone remembered them, and then someone saying that is you are important to us, that we haven't forgotten you, we are praying for you. That was a true lifeline for me. So when we are studying these projects, I wanted to make sure that uh people in North Korea to know that they're not forgotten. And so that we are we do have a program called uh Letter of Hope um program, so that we're asking people around the world to write a letter. Uh as they wrote me a letter when I was in prison. Now you please write a letter to North Korean people so that we can actually read these letters when they send it to us uh on air and so that the people in North Korea can he actually listen. Um so this is uh one of the things that we are doing right now. And uh we are trying to deliver hope. And also we would like to uh make sure they get the truth. What is going on outside, because they have no idea outside the wall. So outside the news. We've been broadcasting about what's happening in Iran, what's happening in Ukraine, in Venezuela, and you know, just the common stuff happening in South Korea as well. It's a story of freedom and reunification. We've been talking quite a bit about that with international news that we've been broadcasting to people in North Korea. We also carry the gospel messages. So Bible stories and the gospel messages and worship and prayer, and so that people will in North Korea to be able to know that the truth will set them free. And then we're also focusing on area of healing. So we are providing comforting music, Christian and non-Christian music, but health and life tips and encouragements in many different ways that we want to provide hope, truth, and gospel healing messages to people in North Korea. So we've been doing this since March 16. We pioneered this program. Right now we've been doing it 30 minutes a day, six days a week. People in North Korea can hear it. We're doing it a shortwave radio signal reaching North Korean people. And then starting from June 1st, we're actually increasing to one hour a day, six days a week. And then people in North Korea to be able to be able to hear, because there's no signals actually going into North Korea. I mean, just compared to year or two before, I think that number of the signals going in reduced down to about maybe 10 to 15 percent of the normal traffic's been going in. So now this is why that more reason that we wanted to start uh this project now, because over 25 million people in North Korea live in an information of blackout, yet radio waves cannot be fully uh blocked. And show wave radio remain one of the few channels that the regime cannot completely control. And it's become a vital link to the outside of the world. So we wanted it to deliver beyond just information, but helping listeners realize that the world they know may not be all there is.

SPEAKER_00 24:21

Um so kind of along the lines of the the letter of hope, you know, you had mentioned in your in your book, Not Forgotten, um, as well as in various speaking engagements, you know, how those messages sent to you during your imprisonment really fueled hope and provided the encouragement you needed to persevere through that imprisonment. Um, and people can send these messages, uh, like you said, to the South Korean office, they will translate it and read it in the North Korean dialect. And so I just want to share that email address with everybody. I've done it before, but let's do it again here. It's nkhb316 at gmail.com. Go ahead and you know, send in your letters. And if you know someone else who would, you know, family friend or what have you, that would love to send in a letter as well. Um we just want to encourage you to do that because I know that uh from a personal experience, I was one of those people when Kenneth was imprisoned that sent a letter. And I didn't know Kenneth, had no idea who he was, he didn't know who I was, but I thought to myself that if I was in a similar position, I would want someone thinking of me and advocating for me. And that was the piece that can encouraged me to go ahead and send a letter. So I want to also encourage you to do the same because as it impacted his life, it also impacted my life. And the only thing it costs you is time.

SPEAKER_02 25:56

Yeah, you can uh also go to our website, uh nkhb.org slash en. Uh so if you just go to nkhb.org uh and slash en, which is which means English, uh, then you can just find the QR or you can just just send the letter directly to uh our website as well. Uh you can check out our website, get more information about our radio programming. That would be wonderful.

SPEAKER_00 26:25

Um so right now you are also part of a diverse group of leaders speaking up for the One Korea movement. And I'm wondering, you know, I know that you're working toward and petitioning for reunification of the peninsula through that movement. You know, what what can you share about NKFI's involvement, your involvement in what's going on and what the hopeful outcome is for One Korea?

SPEAKER_02 26:52

Yes. Um the Korea never been two Korea. It used to be just one Korea for hundreds of years. And then uh during Japanese occupations um in between 1910 to 1945, 36 years, it was under Japanese rule. And then Japanese surrendered to, you know, in 1945 and uh as the end of uh World War II. The country was divided as it is into two uh pieces, north uh by Soviet, south by American troops came in. For they ruled um the peninsula for three years before each side uh declared independence in 1948. Um and then they both uh uh established the governments and become uh two countries. But we, as a Korean people, we never recognize that we are not permanently two countries, but this is all part of the you know divisions caused by foreign power. But someday we'll be becoming one country again because uh we are one people. Um and then so that's been that's been a dream, and especially during the 1950s to 1953 Korean War, more than five million people uh lost their lives and then they ended up uh escaped from North Korea to South Korea, and then um and many of them they have loved ones left behind. Um they just they're just uh scattered families. So they've been wanting to be able to visit their loved one, but they haven't been able to do that. So first generation, um you know, they're almost in their uh youngest one is 80s to 90 years old, and they say we'll probably never be able to visit our home or see my loved one before I die unless the two countries unified. At the same time that in North Korea, and during the because the communist regime's been ruling over 80 years, it became a sudden utterly desperate place that where people live as a slave. There's no human right whatsoever. And therefore, um just the you know, therefore, if we just say that South Korea has become the one of the powerful nations economy-wise, in uh in terms of uh culture and and uh militaries and ITs, and they were they were proud of their success for the last 80 years. But however, uh South Korean people are still not uh totally insatisfied because they said they feel like they're not half of their people, half of the country is still under communist occupation. Pretty much um they're live without freedom. So we cannot just look the other way and say, as long as we are safe, we just go on living without them. Uh so uh now recently uh South Korean government is now saying that is uh maybe we should just um you know adopt and adjust because North Korean government decided to uh not to pursue reunification any longer, and they wanted to make sure that we become two separate countries, and then um you know they it become a hostile relationship. So South Korean government now saying that is we shouldn't make it a peaceful relationship but two countries, and then that means it becomes a permanently two divided countries, and that makes people North Korean people, uh 25 million people living uh without freedom uh more permanently unless the government system changed. So we wanted to make sure that stand up for people in North Korea because they cannot speak because there's no um there's no right for them to speak about their right, about human rights, or any any whatsoever the freedoms they don't have. And so for we just wanted to make sure that we want one Korea, free democratic, you know, uh one Korea, so that the Korea that we're uh you know, people in North Korea and South Korea to be able to live in harmony in peacefully, and someday we'll become one country. Um and so this is why that we decided to advocate. And then uh we wanted it to see not only become one country, but new Korea that will uh not only not only benefiting the people living in the peninsula, but it'll be also the country that benefit the rest of the world and bringing God's kingdom and truth to the people around the world.

SPEAKER_00 31:20

Um one question I do have kind of about this, and I asked one of our other North Korean friends, is that you know, looking at the complexities of creating unification, it's not just food, it's not just education, it's just it's not just economy or health, or it is a giant task that is too big for the Korean peninsula to handle alone exclusively. But I also, you know, in speaking with our friend, that retaining the culture and identity of the Korean people is also very, very important. So I think it feels like this is going to be a global effort of governmental bodies and individual organizations, the Korean government and the people all to work together, but it has to be led by the Korean people. Does that, you know, does that seem correct? I mean, how what are your thoughts on this?

SPEAKER_02 32:13

Uh y Yes, I believe so. Um I think the uh reunification of South and North Korea should be led by Korean, uh, but we also need international support, especially the international Christian support, because it's about you know people living like uh human beings, and that right is being denied. And by, you know, if we say, okay, if it's not one Korea, then two Korea, then maybe we'll have peaceful relationship between the governments, but how about the people living in North Korea? Are they gonna be peaceful? Are they gonna be content and happy, and they'll be able to live like a regular human being that has a basic human right that they can have. So which is hasn't been has been the so for the last 70, 80 years. There's no freedom of religions, no freedom of speech, mobilities, and freedom to even choose in jobs. Uh therefore, I I wanted to make sure that that it has to be Korea-led reunification, but at the same time, the uh the international community also needs to rally with the people, and so that yes, people in North Korea is important, and then you people uh Korea used to be one country, it has to stay as one country. So that reunification is the only way to bring uh, you know, solving international uh crisis that could have with the nuclear uh issues that we have been dealing so far with the uh North Korean governments for the last 30 years, but it hasn't been able to resolve it. Uh and the human rights issues and food shortage issues and the economics and all these issues that with North Korean uh governments, um, that only thing we can think about is we need to seek for peaceful reunification, but not with the North Korean governments, but we need to make sure that uh people the our main partner uh for the reunification need to be North Korean people living in North Korea so that we can kind of uh think about it as how can we benefit 25 million uh North Koreans, 52 million South Koreans, and maybe about several or eight million living overseas. We're talking about almost like 85 million Koreans, but um later on it'll also stabilize uh regional um, I think, peace in in terms of China and Russia and Korea and Japan policies, including the United States. So I do believe that um we just can't live uh have the North Korean people to suffer any longer before our first generation um uh all passed away. We wanted to see uh this will be a time to speak up for new reunification and also human rights issues. So therefore this will be the time that we can make a difference soon.

SPEAKER_00 35:07

Sure, sure. So um I know that we have had the prayer campaign, the Pray for NK, um, which is a global, uh, you know, a good global format for people to get involved and pray for North Korea and receive news and updates. Um there's also the 1 million uh one Korea petition. Because we aren't in the active process right now of rebuilding and helping, you know, unify the peninsula. It's not we're not on the ground actively in the countries doing the work, but this is kind of the precursor for people to be praying for this to happen, but also let their opinions be known and their commitment be known. So I maybe if we could just touch on that a little bit here so the international community can know how they can get involved today.

SPEAKER_02 36:00

Yeah. Stand with the people of North Korea and speak on their behalf and work towards one united Korea grounded in freedom and democracy. So we are launching this uh movement to gather one million uh signatures to support reunification. Uh so we just ask that now is the time to raise our voices together, and so that we're asking people to participate and support, bring hope, and help uh advance the future of reunified countries. Um so uh you can also go to our website, uh, this one you can find it, uh newkoreafi.org. If you go there, uh then you can look for a QR code, sign for reunifications, then you can actually sign a petition so that we like to get a global community to commit. We like to see one million signature to come in and say it's not just a few people in South Korea, so thinking or wanting to have a reunification, but we are supporting uh North Korean people. So therefore, we wanted to make sure that uh reunification will become the end goal, uh, end game of this solving all these issues and problems we are facing right now. And therefore, we are asking people to uh to support New Korea reunification campaign, and we'd like to see uh one million signature for reunification.

SPEAKER_00 37:23

Awesome. That's great. And then there the prayfornk.org is still That's correct.

SPEAKER_02 37:29

Um one more thing about our new um our uh NKHB, uh New Korea Hope Broadcasting. So it's part of our New Korea uh foundation international's uh the ministry. There is our radio programming ministry, but we are right now looking for uh 1,000 uh signal missionaries uh that who can uh be part of our this making miracle uh daily basis. We like to have 1,000 supporters to commit giving just $1 a day, which means $30 a month, that we can produce and broadcast two hours of programming each day. So you only take 1,000 people to say yes, North Korean people is important and they need to know the truth and they need to hear uh hope from outside the world. So we like to ask the people, especially those of us who are living in the United States, if you say yes, North Korean people say we should care for them. I think this will be a wonderful message is to them and say they they believe the Americans are there to get them and hate them. Uh, we want to just conquer them, but instead we say we love you, we we we want to extend our heart to you and we are prayer to you, and we would like to make sure that you have receiving the truth and hope in people in the living in North Korea. So if you become a signal missionary with an NKHB, bringing truth and hope to North Korea, and then that will make possible to produce broadcasts to deliver the gospel and hope to North Korean listeners, and sustain our showwave uh radio transmissions, and then also it can help to create a content tailored especially specifically for the people of North Korea. So for the people of North Korea, this broadcast become a window of the you know, window to the outside of the world and message of hope and the light of the gospel. So therefore, we are waiting for 1,000 signal missionary to join us so that we can tell them that yes, you are not forgotten. And we want to extend our love and hope to people in North Korea. If you can be part of that, you can also go to our uh you know nkhb.org.n slash en and you can just join uh becoming a signal missionary as well.

SPEAKER_00 39:47

Sure. And you can also um send any of your financial gifts either via Zell or PayPal. That address is giving at newcorefi.org. That's primarily in the U.S. Um Or if you are more comfortable with sending in your check payment, you can send that to our U.S.-based mailing address to New Korea Foundation International. So 4048 Lakeland Avenue North, number 22171, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55422. Um and I think we've covered a lot of information today, and I know we have a busy afternoon, so I don't want to take too much more time. Um but Kenneth, is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

SPEAKER_02 40:33

Yes, tonight that we are having a special event, um, having um launch and a fundraising uh night for NKHB, New Korea of Hope Broadcasting. We are letting the people around the world know that people in North Korea uh uh you know they are valuable and they're not supposed to be forgotten. And so tonight we'll make the uh big remote, big mark in in, you know, and then for our um, you know, the the you know organization as well, but um many people will know that this will make a difference and this will bring hope to people in North Korea. Um so I I am excited that what this radio ministry will do, and also uh, you know, you know, we're here uh we know that you know at least 44% of the people that who listen to radio, they were able to escape from North Korea, and they said that you know listening to radio really give them a hope to take a step of faith to go out of the countries. So I do believe that uh you know that what we are doing, we don't know how many people will be listening daily basis, but even like 10, 100,000 people listen uh on a daily basis. I think we can still make a difference to those people uh hearing the gospel for the first time. And I do believe that this will uh make uh choose difference and down the road that we will will discover that when they come that we'll be able to meet them in person, to be able to celebrate together. So that please join us in prayer and uh you know, and then I think this will be a wonderful way that we can do this project together.

SPEAKER_00 42:13

Awesome. Well, thank you, Kenneth, for your time, and uh I look forward to tonight and future conversations. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 42:21

All right, God bless you. Thanks. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 42:26

Today, Kenneth serves as the president of NKFI USA and NKFI South Korea. Through his leadership, we are providing rescue, restoration, leadership training, and sharing hope with North Koreans living all throughout their homeland. Now, whenever I reflect on Kenneth's testimony, continued commitment, and even my own work, I'm reminded of John 15, 12 to 14. Quote, My command is this love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. End quote. The expectation around our engagement with and response to the people of North Korea, and really others in communities globally who are suffering it's made very clear. Not just in this passage, but throughout scripture. Even in secular literature exists the importance of empathy and care for both individuals and communities in need, believing that we are born with inherent morality that navigates us naturally to recognize human dignity, equity, and compassion for the betterment of all. And considering this, it really is no wonder that people like Kenneth and and honestly myself feel such an overwhelming call to reach out, provide care, and advocate for those living under oppression without human rights or dignity. And whether you're a Christian or not, taking action in any way is how we get things moving and get change started. As you heard in this podcast, there are several ways that you can join us in creating change. You can write a letter of hope. If you feel called to support us financially, you can do that any number of ways. But also sharing the work that we do with others makes a very big impact. Never underestimate your ability to engage and create change for people who may never know you, who may never know your name, their lives can in fact be changed for the future and for the better with your time and your intent. If you've enjoyed this podcast, we invite you to like and subscribe. And if you feel comfortable doing it, sharing it with people in your life, whether it be friends, family, clergy, co-workers, really anyone that you feel might have an interest and a commitment to creating freedom for all North Koreans. Thank you for listening today, and we'll see you next time. Thank you for listening.