Events
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Anybody who wants to learn about "Inclusion" should spend a few days in Kazakhstan. They welcome you by making you feel "you are one of them".
Nomadic by nature, they heal the hardship they endured historically by making others feel comfortable when in their country.
Muslims, Christians, Russian Orthodox, 130 different nationalities, diverse ethnicities (Kazakh, mongols, 고려인 Koreans, russians, turks) live peacefully together.
What a lesson of humility. Korea has one thing or two to learn from them.
I was honored to present 가려진 세계를 넘어/Deux Coréennes in Korean at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty Kazakhstan on April 23th, 2025.
The response from students was overwhelming and the questions had to be cut short due to time constraint. The head of the East Asian history department thanked me profusely for providing the missing piece in their department: knowledge about North Korea.
Huge thanks to:
the Korean Consulate in Almaty, professor Byungjo Lee at the Far East Division of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, professor Abagan Ekerke at the Faculty of Oriental Studies.
Zhambyl City Youth Library in Almaty
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Francophonie 2025, Alliance Française Almaty and Embassy of France in Kazakhstan, thank you for hosting Deux Coréennes. The book is now available for anybody to read at 5 different public libraries in Almaty.
The booktalk was delivered at Zhambyl City Youth Library on April 23, a vibrant and energetic space, opened to students 24 hours!
Hopefully, the 5 books I left behind will continue to nourish the mind of those brights young Kazakhs. Perhaps, will it be a timely reminder that communism must never return.
Grateful to:
Zhambyl City Youth Library for welcoming me with open arms
Vivien Fouquet, Director of Alliance Almaty and his team members including Dariga and Zhanar (translation French-> Russian), for organising and sponsoring the booktalk.
Booktalk at The University of Sheffield
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Very touched by the thorough questions prepared by professor Sarah Son as part of the booktalk at The University of Sheffield on April 3rd 2025. They included:
- the role of the double narratives and the usage of the pronoun "I" for both Ji Hyun Park_박지현 -hyun Park and myself as symbol of "micro-reunification"
- the writing process (unexpected circumstances -> rejection-> guilt-> moral responsibilities -> artistic stimulation -> writing)
- multilinguism (Korean, French, English) involved in the process of writing.
Thank you to the department of Korean Studies @university of sheffield Jinah Kwon Sarah Son for the warm welcome and precious moments of sharing.
Dutch Version of Deux Coréennes
Monday, March 31, 2025
Leiden University
As Korea faces one of its worse political turmoil, Twee Koreanen, dutch version of Deux Coréennes, hit the shelves. Could not be a better timed reminder, to think about what the return of communism would mean to all of us.
"It was my dream to publish a book like this; my dream to share these sort of stories with the rest of the world."
Ties Rotteveel's opening words, on behalf of Hetboekhandeltje publishers Universiteit Leiden University in Amsterdam on 3.31.25.
Surround yourself with people who are in the conscious action, especially in turbulent times like this. Keep your head down, and do what you have to do.
One of the students formulated a 6 parts question️...that we only managed to address partially due to time constraints. "What can I do the help" was from another student. Our work seems to continue to inspire and I could not be more grateful.
Deux Coréennes is going from strenght to strength, and the recent addition in dutch was an icing (litterally) on the cake.
My heartfelt thanks to Remco Breuker, Casper van der Veen, Sean William Valerio, Kim Jeong-Seok from Embassy of the Republic of Korea, Ji Hyun Park_박지현
Credits go to Sean William Valerio for the photographies.
5th Intervention: Francophonie 2025
Friday, March 14, 2025
Alliance Francaise Hoehyeon, Seoul
Mr. Yoo Yeeul, education coordinator at AF, shared that when he was attending high school, a 10% quota was applied in favor of North Korean Refugees students at most high-schools in Korea: what a heartwarming insight! I hope it is still the case today
Multilinguism (KR words used as such in the middle of FR sentences) was again at the center of our discussions with questions on translation challenges.
Very grateful for an incredible Francophonie week in Korea with the most generous welcome from Philippe Bertoux, Pierre MORCOS, Yohann Le Tallec, Marguerite BICKEL, Kim Sanhui, Clémence Dethoo,r Manon Hennequin, Ambassade de France en République de Corée, Yoo Yeeul, Ji Hyun Park_박지현
3rd and 4th Intervention: Francophonie 2025
Friday, March 14, 2025
Lycée International Xavier and Lycée Français of Seoul
Seoul
3rd intervention on the occasion of Francophonie Korea 2025 at the Lycée International Xavier in Seoul and 4th at the Lycée Français of Seoul.
About 40 pupils at each school analyzed 2 extracts of Deux Coréennes focusing on the narrators (one South Korean, one North korean) of the book.
️Many many hands went up: "What was your hardest moment while writing the book? Why did I write the book? Why isn't there any human rights in communist countries? Should Korea be reunited one day or not and why?"
Wow... I did not expect these 15-18 years old to be so vivacious in their intervention. Vive l'Education française!!!
Heartfelt thanks to
Philippe Bertoux
Pierre MORCOS
Yohann Le Tallec
Marguerite BICKEL
Clémence Dethoor
Manon Hennequin
Ambassade de France en République de Corée
Jérôme Pinot
Cedric Toiron
Ji Hyun Park_박지현
Booktalk at Kangwon University
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Kangwon University
Kangwondo Korea
What a hospitality Kangwon University! I had never seen my name printed in such big fonts on a banner at a university main gate!
On my 2nd intervention in Korea on the occasion of the Francophonie month, I popped the following question to the students:
"Why are the students in Korea not interested in North Korean Human Rights?"
3 students put their hands up courageously after breaking a silence. One student said she was interested when she was little but stopped paying attention because of her busy daily life. A second student said the first thing he was taught at military service was to understand that the enemy is North Korea and that getting out of that mindset was hard. The third student said he was simply afraid of talking about it in public because of the politicized nature of the topic. So insightful.
Immense thanks to these students for answering a question I always had to leave unanswered when European students asked about it.
My heartfelt thanks go to:
franceencoree_culture
kangwon national university
Philippe Bertoux Pierre MORCOS Yohann Le Tallec Marguerite BICKEL Clémence Dethoor Manon Hennequin Ambassade de France en République de Corée Lee Seon-Hee Kim Ik-Joon Oh Bobae
Students of French department KNU
Ji Hyun Park_박지현
Booktalk at Duksung University for Women
Monday, March 10, 2025
Duksung University for Women
Having celebrated International Women's Day 2025 last week, a timely visit to Duksung University for Women as part of the Francophonie month in Korea.
Multilingualism in Les Deux Coreennes, poetics, literature as a space where reconnecting with humanity, were addressed, and as part of the Q&A, a student asked: "How are the South Koreans perceived by the North Korean people? What do they think of us?"
"더러운 조선 미제 앞잡이 (dirty american puppets of chosun)" is what they think of us.
Yes. Sadly, the people of North Korea think South Korea is nothing more than a colony of the United States. It won't be easy to change that perception, unless they have access to real information, as opposed to "juche" 's propaganda.
Huge thanksto:
Franceencoree_culture
Duksung_official
Philippe Bertoux
Pierre MORCOS
Marguerite BICKEL
Yohann leTallec
Kim Sang-Hui
Clémence Dethoor
Manon Hennequin
Ambassade de France en République de Corée
Anthony Correia
Ji Hyun Park_박지현
Talk at Club 44
Wednesday, February 12, 2025
20:15
Club 44
Rue de la Serre 64 2300 La Chaux-de-Fonds
" Tuer l'enfant dans l'adulte, c'est vraiment tuer tout rapport avec la créativité "/ "To kill the child in the adult would be to kill all links to creativity."
I was quoting Romain Gary explaining why it was important for me to talk at length about @ji_p4rk childhood in Deux Coréennes/The Hard Road Out.
At the end of the presentation, the organizer of the event told me "You know Romains Gary spoke at Club44 as well?"
What an intense moment of happiness! What an honour !!!
@club44.cdf, an iconic literary club created in 1944 to oppose the spirit of dictature and intolerance, to question, debate and create exchanges around new ideas, could not have a been a better venue to present our book. I am eternally grateful to @printempsculturelneuchâtel @club44.cdf @laure_mi_hyun.crozet @sissa1028 @philippe.chancel for accompanying Jihyun and myself in this glorious adventure.
International Human Rights Day
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
14:00 - 16:00
Canada House
Trafalgar Square, London SW1Y 5BJ
The High Commission of Canada hosts a conversation with Jihyun Park and Seh-lynn Chai, co-authors of The Hard Road Out: One Woman's Escape from North Korea.
North Korea Beyond Nukes: Focusing on the Human Rights Challenge
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
French Institute of International Relations
Very grateful to Ifri - Institut français des relations internationales and AMBASSADE DE LA REPUBLIQUE DE COREE EN FRANCE for organising "North Korea Beyond Nukes: focusing on the human rights challenge" conference, where I was a guest speaker, along with Professor Arnaud Leveau and Ji Hyun Park_박지현.
Thoughts provoking discussions around the role of Europe in this turbulent time, and what it can do, in concrete terms, to bring DPRK back to the negotiation table.
Thank you H.E. Ambassador Moon Seong-hyun of AMBASSADE DE LA REPUBLIQUE DE COREE EN FRANCE , Director Marc Julienne, Madame la Présidente Françoise Nicolas and Ms. Céline Pajon at Ifri - Institut français des relations internationales for co-hosting this timely and meaningful event
Full recording on: https://youtu.be/nRAHcjKX6cQ
Yonhap news: 탈북민 박지현씨 "러 파병 북한군 포로 北송환 막아야" | 연합뉴스
