"But Teacher, who would be President if North and South don't fight?" Well Lucy Jeong. . .

If you've already heard this story and are now reading this, I apologize for the repetition.
Thursday afternoon I walked into the office, before being reminded that it was the first day for monthly tests, I saw the brown paper envelope laying on my desk. Of course I look forward to my monthly National Geographic! You can read practically everything online and more, but having the slick glossy pages to flip through and being able to underline, cut and examine in different lighting can only be delivered through print. This month there is an article about escaping from North Korea. North Korean refugees who decide to flee from the country are forced to leave from the Chinese border. Once across the Tumen River they face increased danger in China, where if discovered they are arrested and returned to North Korea. In a question of international law and refugee status China believes they are seen as economic migrants.

Human rights organizations and various foreign leaders, particularly in the United States and the European Union, are urging China to honor its international agreements by treating the North Koreans as refugees, a status they're entitled to because of the punishments they face if deported. But China maintains that the defectors are illegal "economic migrants."

South Korea is considered the safe haven and about 15,000 refugees have made it to the Southern part of the peninsula since the 1990's. They are required to enter South Korea by traveling through China to Thailand in order to seek asylum.

In one of my classes the kids wanted to watch a movie. . .instead we discussed the situation to the North in the remaining 20 minutes of class.


Additional Links of Interest

• Youtube video following a North Korean family defect to Thailand (20min)
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