19
September 2012
Past Event
Escape from North Korea: The Untold Story of Asia's Underground Railroad

Escape from North Korea: The Untold Story of Asia's Underground Railroad

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
September 19, 2012
Default Event Image
19
September 2012
Past Event

1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Speakers:
Greg Scarlatoiu,

Executive Director of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea

Melanie Kirkpatrick,

Hudson Senior Fellow and author

Jae Ku,

Director of the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS)

Suzanne Scholte,

Chair of the North Korea Freedom Coalition

Kim Seong-min,

North Korean defector and founder of Free North Korea Radio

Escape from North Korea (Encounter Books) is a rare good-news story from the world's most repressive state—a compelling account of the people who dare to escape and the Good Samaritans who help them.

In her new book, Hudson Senior Fellow and former Wall Street Journal editorial board member Melanie Kirkpatrick describes the secret network of safe houses and transit routes that carry North Koreans hiding in China to safety in neighboring countries. The conductors are brokers motivated by money, as well as Christians motivated by faith. In violation of its obligations under international treaties, China's policy is to repatriate the North Koreans and arrest their rescuers.

Just as escaped slaves from the American South educated Americans about the evils of slavery, the North Korean fugitives are informing the world about the secretive country they fled. They are also sowing the seeds for change within North Korea itself by channeling news back to their information-starved homeland. They are a bridge to a free and unified Korea.

Related Events
07
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Postponed | Designating the Polisario Front: A Conversation with Rep. Joe Wilson
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Joe Wilson
U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) speaks during a news conference hosted by members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus at the Capitol on February 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
07
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Postponed | Designating the Polisario Front: A Conversation with Rep. Joe Wilson

Michael Doran, director of Hudson’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, will host Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC) for a discussion on the strategic benefits of designating the Polisario Front as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) speaks during a news conference hosted by members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus at the Capitol on February 24, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)
Featured Speakers:
Michael Doran
Congressman Joe Wilson
09
July 2025
Virtual Event | Invite Only
Israel’s Economic Resilience after October 7: Navigating War and Strategic Pressures
Featured Speakers:
Noach Hacker
Michael Doran
Getty Images
09
July 2025
Virtual Event | Invite Only
Israel’s Economic Resilience after October 7: Navigating War and Strategic Pressures

Noach Hacker, Israel’s minister of economic affairs, will join Hudson’s Michael Doran for a discussion on how Israel has fortified its economic foundations for moments of extreme crisis. 

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Noach Hacker
Michael Doran
10
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
President of Kosovo Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu on Why US Leadership Matters in Europe
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu
Daniel Kochis
Getty Images
10
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
President of Kosovo Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu on Why US Leadership Matters in Europe

President of Kosovo Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu will discuss the crucial importance of American leadership for peace and stability in Europe and why America’s role is just as important today as it was over 25 years ago.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Vjosa Osmani Sadriu
Daniel Kochis
11
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Han Kuang Exercise and the Taiwanese Military’s Road to Readiness
Featured Speakers:
RADM Mark Montgomery
Brent Sadler
Bryan Clark
Moderator:
Riley Walters
Getty Images
11
July 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The Han Kuang Exercise and the Taiwanese Military’s Road to Readiness

Hudson’s Riley Walters will discuss what to look for during these exercises and what more Taiwan can do to strengthen its defense posture with a panel of military experts.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
RADM Mark Montgomery
Brent Sadler
Bryan Clark
Moderator:
Riley Walters