Search

North Korea’s Oppression with Timothy Cho

Timothy Cho, North Korean human rights activist and defector who was imprisoned four times in North Korea and China, addressed the U.N. Opening for the 18th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 17th, 2026.

Key Quotes:

“Where is justice for the people of North Korea in the face of such dehumanizing crime and oppression? And where is the United Nations?”

“Arriving in freedom was not the end of our journey but the beginning of our good fight of the faith and our enduring hope.”

Speakers and Participants

Timothy Cho

North Korean human rights activist & defector, imprisoned 4 times in North Korea & China

Related

Political Prisoners

Surviving the North Korean Gulag with Kenneth Bae

Kenneth Bae, survivor of North Korean gulag and longest-held American prisoner in North Korea, addresses the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On being arrested and tortured by North Korea: “On November 3rd, 2012, I was arrested by North

Political Prisoners

Tortured in North Korea with Fred and Cindy Warmbier

Fred and Cindy Warmbier, parents of Otto Warmbier who was tortured in North Korea, discuss with Hillel Neuer at the 10th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. Full Transcript Hillel Neuer: I’m joined on the stage by Fred and Cindy Warmbier, and they’re here because of their son, Otto.

Authoritarianism

Bodyguard to the North Korean Regime with Lee Young-guk

Lee Young-guk, bodyguard to former North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il, addresses the 8th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy – see quotes below, followed by full prepared remarks. On the luxurious life of the Kim dynasty: “These North Korean dictators have been passing down power for three generations and

Authoritarianism

Borderless Repression: The Long Reach of Vietnam’s Regime with Nguyen Van Trang

Van Trang Nguyen, Vietnamese democracy activist and survivor of regime attacks and transnational repression, addressed the 17th Annual Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy on February 18th, 2025. Full Remarks: Hello everyone, Hello to all who fight for freedom and human rights! My name is Nguyen Van Trang, a