Christianity Daily Article (translated to English) on the 48M Screening - February 10, 2013
The film 48M tells the reality of the North Korean human rights violations
"Balloon launches and radio broadcasts are the most effective ways of reaching North Koreans"
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| The film 48M was screened at KCPC on Feb. 8th. | |
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| People praying for the North Korean people after the screening. | |
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| From left, Rep. Rob Wittman, Pastor Owen Lee of CCPC, Jinhye Jo, Suzanne Scholte, Songhwa Han, Eunhye Jo, and Rep. Frank Wolf. |
A movie that cannot be viewed with eyes wide open, which vividly depicts the human rights violations in North Korea, was shown at Korean Central Presbyterian Church on Friday Feb. 8 at 7pm.
This screening was hosted by Representatives Frank Wolf and Rob Wittman, and many people from the US government, NGO, as well as Seoul Peace Prize laureate Suzanne Scholte and the North Korean defector Han-Jo family were present.
Congressmen Wolf and Wittman both said that they were sure 'this film will play a big role in telling the whole world about the North Korean human rights situations', and asked for people to 'continue to show interest in the North Korean human rights issue.'
Many Americans in attendance showed great interest in the film, afterwards asked the members of the Han-Jo family if the scenes depicted in the film were real.
Suzanne Scholte, the chairman of the North Korea Freedom Coalition, said that 'there are more cases of human rights violations that are happening right now to North Korean people that is far worse and more violent and sad than what is depicted in the film', and reminded those in attendance that 'the world must continue to remember and pray for the North Korean people who are at this moment suffering and dying through suffering and sadness.'
Songhwa Han said that 'there are many options for countries like the US or South Korea to help regarding the human rights situation in North Korea. The best way is for people to help the citizens in North Korea for themselves to have an awakening and a growing disillusionment with the regime, and the most effective way to do this is via balloons launches and radio broadcasts. The North Korean regime has total clampdown on the Internet and outside information, and every chance they get the regime has demanded over fifty times that balloon and launches and radio broadcasts be stopped,' and those who heard her remarks in the post-screening interview, including the Congressmen, nodded in agreement.
Representative Frank Wolf has been very active and has put in a lot of effort in the past regarding the human rights situation in North Korea, as the chairman of the Congressional Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, through various Congressional hearings, support for legislation related to the human rights situation of North Korea, and through support and participation of various events, thereby raising awareness of the difficult situation the North Korean people live in.
The production team for the film 48M interviewed close to 300 North Korean defectors over a period of three years, and picked the 30 most vivid and heartbreaking stories as the backdrop for the movie. While many North Korean refugee-related films focus on one theme or storyline, 48M sheds light on various aspects of the plight of the North Korean refugees and in many ways shows a more brutally truthful, accurate, and varied violations of the human rights of North Koreans. An Hyok, a North Korean defector who is a producer for the film, said that 'in light of the fact that over 70% of the defectors are women, we tried our best to show the human rights violations that women and children suffer from. All the production costs for this film were paid for by donations raised by North Korean defectors.'