North Korea – Barrier Free Japan

by Michael Gillan Peckitt November 7, 2025 0

North Korea fires ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan

North Korea launched a ballistic missile Friday that apparently fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, the Japanese government said, warning of the possibility of further provocations from Pyongyang. The missile, the second of its kind to be launched since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office on Oct. 21, was fired at around 12:34 p.m. eastward from North Korea’s west coast and flew more than 450 kilometers at an altitude of up to 50 km, the Defense Ministry said.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 21, 2025 0

Disability North Korea Podcast

North Korean Defector: Disabled “simply cannot survive in society” under Kim Regime [Podcast Episode]

Hyoshim Maeng, a North Korean defector now living in South Korea, is drawing attention to the treatment of people with disabilities under the Kim regime. Her mother, who contracted polio as a child, lived without state support in North Korea. The family fled the country in 2018. Hyoshim Maeng now advocates for disability rights, describing widespread stigma, minimal access to education, and limited mobility. Her account highlights the gap between official narratives and lived realities for disabled people in North Korea.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt July 18, 2025 1

Disability North Korea

North Korean Defector: Disabled “simply cannot survive in society” under Kim Regime

Hyoshim Maeng, a North Korean defector now living in South Korea, is drawing attention to the treatment of people with disabilities under the Kim regime. Her mother, who contracted polio as a child, lived without state support in North Korea. The family fled the country in 2018. Hyoshim Maeng now advocates for disability rights, describing widespread stigma, minimal access to education, and limited mobility. Her account highlights the gap between official narratives and lived realities for disabled people in North Korea.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 12, 2025 0

Disability Human Rights North Korea

Defector Talks About Stigma People with Disabilities Experience in North Korea [Podcast Episode]

Maeng Hyo-shim was born and raised in North Korea before she and her family defected in 2018. She graduated from high school in South Korea and is currently attending Seoul Women’s University. She works to raise awareness within the international community about the human rights situation in North Korea and was recently interviewed by NHK on the situation people with disabilities face in North Korea.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt May 10, 2025 0

Disability North Korea

Defector Talks About Stigma People with Disabilities Experience in North Korea

Maeng Hyo-shim was born and raised in North Korea before she and her family defected in 2018. She graduated from high school in South Korea and is currently attending Seoul Women’s University. She works to raise awareness within the international community about the human rights situation in North Korea and was recently interviewed by NHK on the situation people with disabilities face in North Korea.