Godfather of NK beat reporters

By Casey Lartigue, Jr.

When I was a reporter in college, one of the first lessons I learned was "the rule of three." Three examples or anecdotes can build your argument, make you seem informed, and show a trend justifying the article.

A civil rights activist friend of mine later made me realize that the rule of three is so important in journalism that reporters themselves get convinced by it. As he said, in his usual blunt way, "Media can't digest more than one Negro at a time. Three or more, and they think a revolution has begun."

Likewise, it seems that the media can't digest more than one North Korean refugee at a time. I recently bumped into three prominent media members who congratulated me for helping so many North Korean refugees write books and become stars.

"How many refugees have written books," I asked, suggesting they count on their hands. One gave up quickly, admitting he had overestimated: "There certainly seem to be many more." As reporters often do, he projected a few cases into a revolution.

A freelancer who has covered North Korean issues asked in a recent commentary, "Why do some North Korean defectors turn to professional activism?" He quoted Sokeel Park of LiNK as saying that 1 percent of North Korean refugees were engaged in activism. I informed the freelancer, based on the 28,000 North Korean refugees who have registered with the South Korean government, that would mean about 280 refugees are engaged in activism.

That certainly looks like a "cottage industry" to someone in media swayed by the rule of three, but what of the other 99 percent ― more than 27,000 refugees ― not engaged in activism? As most involved in NK human rights know, "activism" among refugees usually means accepting invitations for an occasional speech or interview. There are probably more reporters who have tried to write about North Korea than there are North Korean refugee activists talking about it.

There are 250 dues-paying members of the Seoul Foreign Correspondents Club, many other "starving reporters" who don't pay membership dues, plus more reporters who fly into Korea with cameras and recorders fishing for stories. My theory: There are so many correspondents talking to each other and looking for North Korea angles that they get fooled into thinking that there is an organized "cottage industry" of North Korean refugee activists.

More than one reporter has complained about refugees expecting to be paid for speeches and interviews. Back when I was a reporter I also got the lecture about never paying for sources, and accept that. I asked one reporter: Have you ever gotten paid for any of your articles about North Korea? He switched from offense to defense.

Imagine my surprise to learn that reporters and freelancers who complain about refugees getting paid are themselves getting paid for articles about refugees. One freelancer said he doesn't get paid much, so he can't afford to pay refugees. I suggested that he keep searching, most refugees are willing to be interviewed for free. I also recommended not being resentful about others who want to get paid while helping him to get paid.

Whereas some freelancers struggle, some well-paid commentators have criticized refugees for accepting large speaking fees. One commentator mockingly wished he could get in on the game. He didn't mention that he (or someone at his organization with a very similar name) earns more than $300,000 a year—and that's before speaking fees. His salary doubles or triples the entire budgets of many NGOs relying on refugee volunteers rescuing and helping North Koreans escape to freedom.

One of the freelancers recently interviewed me about North Korean refugees engaged in activism. He started off by saying that some (probably three other freelancers and reporters) refer to me as the "Godfather" of North Korean refugees. That isn't an insult, but his yellow journalism questions made it clear there was an insinuation.

Reporters lamenting the 1 percent of activist North Korean refugees are surprised to learn that even the "Godfather of North Korean refugees" doesn't steer them into activism. In the volunteer program that I co-founded connecting North Korean refugees with volunteers, we have had 190 refugees choose to enter the language study track. In contrast, only 15 have chosen to enter the public speaking track (for business, university presentations, or advocacy). Commentators can't digest even one percent of refugees being active, apparently the revolution has arrived.

I have gotten many more requests from reporters for interviews with refugees than I have gotten requests by refugees for interviews or speeches. There have not even been enough refugees making requests to qualify for the rule of three.

On the other hand, I have gotten so many requests from reporters and freelancers that I may soon be known as "The Godfather of Reporters Seeking Comments from Refugees."

The writer is the Director for International Relations at Freedom Factory Co. in Seoul. He can be reached at CJL@post.harvard.edu.