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Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota301 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455 To stay updated with FreeNK events, and learn more about the upcoming 2016 Symposium, please visit freedomrefugeesmn.org and sign up for our newsletter. For additional inquiries, please contact Stephen Johnson: [email protected] |
Guest Speakers

Congressman Keith Ellison
Congressman Keith Ellison represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Fifth District includes the City of Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs and is one of the most vibrant and ethnically diverse districts in Minnesota.
Rep. Ellison’s guiding philosophy is based on “generosity and inclusion” and his priorities in Congress are building prosperity for working families, promoting peace, pursuing environmental sustainability, and advancing civil and human rights.
Rep. Ellison’s commitment to consumer justice led him to write legislation that was included in the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights of 2009. This law prevents an unfair practice called “universal default,” which allowed lenders to increase their customers’ interest rates if they had late payments with another lender. In response to the foreclosure crisis that began in 2008, Rep. Ellison also wrote the Protecting Tenants in Foreclosure Act, which requires banks and other new owners to provide at least 90 days’ notice of eviction to renters occupying foreclosed homes.
Keith was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He has lived in Minnesota since earning his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1990. Keith is the proud father of four children.
Congressman Keith Ellison represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. The Fifth District includes the City of Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs and is one of the most vibrant and ethnically diverse districts in Minnesota.
Rep. Ellison’s guiding philosophy is based on “generosity and inclusion” and his priorities in Congress are building prosperity for working families, promoting peace, pursuing environmental sustainability, and advancing civil and human rights.
Rep. Ellison’s commitment to consumer justice led him to write legislation that was included in the Credit Cardholder’s Bill of Rights of 2009. This law prevents an unfair practice called “universal default,” which allowed lenders to increase their customers’ interest rates if they had late payments with another lender. In response to the foreclosure crisis that began in 2008, Rep. Ellison also wrote the Protecting Tenants in Foreclosure Act, which requires banks and other new owners to provide at least 90 days’ notice of eviction to renters occupying foreclosed homes.
Keith was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. He has lived in Minnesota since earning his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1990. Keith is the proud father of four children.

Yu mi Kwon
Yu mi Kwon is the vice president of a women’s group in support of national defense, and a member of a women veterans’ group. She founded the organization Blue Union, a non-profit organization with an interest in South Korean national security, especially against North Korea. . Blue Union has an affiliate organization Lady Blue, a group of patriotic-minded women, and an internet media outlet named Blue Today.
She is a former chairman of National Action Network and a former leader of a group which launched balloons carrying leaflets to North Korea.
She worked as a non-commissioned officer in in Women's Army Corps. She earned an undergraduate degree from Daejeon Community College majoring in business administration, and a Bachelor’s in business administration from Seoul Cyber University.
Yu mi Kwon is the vice president of a women’s group in support of national defense, and a member of a women veterans’ group. She founded the organization Blue Union, a non-profit organization with an interest in South Korean national security, especially against North Korea. . Blue Union has an affiliate organization Lady Blue, a group of patriotic-minded women, and an internet media outlet named Blue Today.
She is a former chairman of National Action Network and a former leader of a group which launched balloons carrying leaflets to North Korea.
She worked as a non-commissioned officer in in Women's Army Corps. She earned an undergraduate degree from Daejeon Community College majoring in business administration, and a Bachelor’s in business administration from Seoul Cyber University.

Jiyeon Ihn
Jiyeon Ihn is the president and founder of an organization called Now! Act for North Koreans! (NANK), a Seoul-based non-profit organization advocating for North Korean human rights. She is an attorney and a member of the Bar in Washington D.C.
She is the executive director of the Lawyers Association for Liberty and Unification of Korea (LALU), a lawyers’ organization in Seoul. She graduated from the International Law School in the Handong University after which she earned a Master’s degree in politics and diplomacy from Ewha Woman’s University. She also earned a Bachelor’s degree in home economics (clothing and textiles) from the Ewha Woman’s University.
She is the author of the 2015 Shout for the Sake of North Korean People’s Freedom and Human Rights! which describes the enactment of the North Korean Human Rights Act. NANK contributed significantly to the enactment of the North Korean Human Rights Act in South Korea.
Jiyeon Ihn is the president and founder of an organization called Now! Act for North Koreans! (NANK), a Seoul-based non-profit organization advocating for North Korean human rights. She is an attorney and a member of the Bar in Washington D.C.
She is the executive director of the Lawyers Association for Liberty and Unification of Korea (LALU), a lawyers’ organization in Seoul. She graduated from the International Law School in the Handong University after which she earned a Master’s degree in politics and diplomacy from Ewha Woman’s University. She also earned a Bachelor’s degree in home economics (clothing and textiles) from the Ewha Woman’s University.
She is the author of the 2015 Shout for the Sake of North Korean People’s Freedom and Human Rights! which describes the enactment of the North Korean Human Rights Act. NANK contributed significantly to the enactment of the North Korean Human Rights Act in South Korea.

Sung Min Kim
Sung Min Kim is the president of Free North Korea Radio, a a station which broadcasts specifically to North Koreans. He is a former captain of North Korean Army. The Free North Korea Radio (FNKR) was founded in 2004, and is a short wave radio broadcasting station which transmits its broadcast toward North Korean areas and aims at the emancipation of North Korean people.
The FNKR, established by North Korean defectors, has creating programming which promotes unification of the Korean Peninsula. The organization was conferred a media prize from the Reporters without Borders, and the prize of Asian Democracy and Human Rights from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.
Sung Min Kim is the president of Free North Korea Radio, a a station which broadcasts specifically to North Koreans. He is a former captain of North Korean Army. The Free North Korea Radio (FNKR) was founded in 2004, and is a short wave radio broadcasting station which transmits its broadcast toward North Korean areas and aims at the emancipation of North Korean people.
The FNKR, established by North Korean defectors, has creating programming which promotes unification of the Korean Peninsula. The organization was conferred a media prize from the Reporters without Borders, and the prize of Asian Democracy and Human Rights from the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy.

Su-jin Kim
Su-jin Kim defected from North Korea in August 2013. She has published several books of poetry under the titles Let Us Not Forget that the Republic of Korea is a Paradise and Flower Heart.
Su-jin Kim defected from North Korea in August 2013. She has published several books of poetry under the titles Let Us Not Forget that the Republic of Korea is a Paradise and Flower Heart.

Na-Ra Kang
Na-ra Kang is a musician and an actress. She performs on the famous Korean TV show called “Now On My Way to Meet You" which many North Korean Defectors have been making an appearance on. She has performed as an actress in a movie called ‘The Secret of Wind Sing’. She defected from North Korea in 2014 and after a month, she entered ROK (Republic of Korea) where she has been since. She majored in Voice at Art High School in Chungjin, North Korea. She is currently majoring in Music at Myungji University.
Na-ra Kang is a musician and an actress. She performs on the famous Korean TV show called “Now On My Way to Meet You" which many North Korean Defectors have been making an appearance on. She has performed as an actress in a movie called ‘The Secret of Wind Sing’. She defected from North Korea in 2014 and after a month, she entered ROK (Republic of Korea) where she has been since. She majored in Voice at Art High School in Chungjin, North Korea. She is currently majoring in Music at Myungji University.

Senator Sandy Pappas
Was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1984 and in 1990 was elected to the Minnesota State Senate. She was elected by her Senate colleagues in 2013 to preside as President of the Senate and continues in that role.
Throughout her legislative career, Senator Pappas has been a fervent advocate for human rights. She has fought tirelessly for women, children, workers, refugees, immigrants, and other vulnerable groups. Over the years, she has passed legislation to prohibit sex trafficking and provide services to victims; to curtail the investment of state funds in the Darfur region of Sudan; to provide emergency contraception for sexual assault victims; to allow children of undocumented parents to attend Minnesota state colleges and receive financial aid (MN Dream Act); to restrict state agencies from purchasing products made with “conflict minerals;” and passed into law the Women’s Economic Security Act.
In addition to her legislative duties, Senator Pappas serves as Vice President for the Women Legislators Lobby (WiLL), is vice chair for the non-profit, World Without Genocide, serves on the board of the Senate Presidents’ Forum, was Treasurer of the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association, and is on the board of the National Association of Jewish Legislators (NAJL).
Her deep interest in international relations and women’s rights has also led Senator Pappas to coordinate and participate in numerous study trips including multiple trips to Cuba; two tours to Turkey; a health study tour to Ethiopia; to Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco & Egypt to meet women leaders; and she led a delegation to Taiwan. In 2011 she co-sponsored a Global Women’s Leadership Convening at St. Catherine University in St. Paul which brought women leaders together from Israel, Jordan and Minnesota. In August 2013, Sen. Pappas co-founded, Forward Global Women (www.forwardglobalwomen.org) , which trains women leaders and peacemakers from the MENA (Middle East-North Africa) region to be stronger leaders and peacebuilders .
Senator Pappas has an MPA degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She is married to Neal Gosman. They have three grown daughters and 21 grandchildren who all live in Tsfat, Israel.
Was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1984 and in 1990 was elected to the Minnesota State Senate. She was elected by her Senate colleagues in 2013 to preside as President of the Senate and continues in that role.
Throughout her legislative career, Senator Pappas has been a fervent advocate for human rights. She has fought tirelessly for women, children, workers, refugees, immigrants, and other vulnerable groups. Over the years, she has passed legislation to prohibit sex trafficking and provide services to victims; to curtail the investment of state funds in the Darfur region of Sudan; to provide emergency contraception for sexual assault victims; to allow children of undocumented parents to attend Minnesota state colleges and receive financial aid (MN Dream Act); to restrict state agencies from purchasing products made with “conflict minerals;” and passed into law the Women’s Economic Security Act.
In addition to her legislative duties, Senator Pappas serves as Vice President for the Women Legislators Lobby (WiLL), is vice chair for the non-profit, World Without Genocide, serves on the board of the Senate Presidents’ Forum, was Treasurer of the World Hellenic Inter-Parliamentary Association, and is on the board of the National Association of Jewish Legislators (NAJL).
Her deep interest in international relations and women’s rights has also led Senator Pappas to coordinate and participate in numerous study trips including multiple trips to Cuba; two tours to Turkey; a health study tour to Ethiopia; to Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco & Egypt to meet women leaders; and she led a delegation to Taiwan. In 2011 she co-sponsored a Global Women’s Leadership Convening at St. Catherine University in St. Paul which brought women leaders together from Israel, Jordan and Minnesota. In August 2013, Sen. Pappas co-founded, Forward Global Women (www.forwardglobalwomen.org) , which trains women leaders and peacemakers from the MENA (Middle East-North Africa) region to be stronger leaders and peacebuilders .
Senator Pappas has an MPA degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She is married to Neal Gosman. They have three grown daughters and 21 grandchildren who all live in Tsfat, Israel.

Dean Eric Schwartz
is the Dean of the University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Prior to his appointment at the University, Schwartz served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration, the principal humanitarian position in the Department of State. He has also served at the United Nations, as the UN Secretary General’s Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery after the Asian tsunami of 2004, and at the White House, as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs during the Clinton Administration.
is the Dean of the University of Minnesota Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Prior to his appointment at the University, Schwartz served as U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration, the principal humanitarian position in the Department of State. He has also served at the United Nations, as the UN Secretary General’s Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery after the Asian tsunami of 2004, and at the White House, as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs during the Clinton Administration.
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