[NOTICE]

“Committee for a Lawsuit Against the
Unconstitutional Travel Ban to North Korea”
Under Formation

[Los Angeles / Chicago / New York = Minjok Tongshin]

The issue of unconstitutionality has been raised against the travel ban to North Korea that went into effect on September 1, 2017, and there has been a noticeable movement for nullifying the measure through legal action. 

Some Korean residents in the United States who have relatives in North Korea (are are divided from their families) have resolved to organize a Committee for a Lawsuit Against the Unconstitutional Travel Ban to North Korea (a provisional name), and they are currently making their intentions known to attract the participation of other interested Korean Americans. Having judged that such intentions and arguments are justifiable, Minjok Tongshin has decided to render their support to the endeavor.

The Korean Americans who are proceeding with legal action against the unconstitutionality of President Trump’s travel ban to North Korea expressed their views that such a measure restricts the constitutionally-guaranteed rights and freedom of American citizens. The travel ban is a clear violation of the provisions and spirit of the Constitution of the United States.

The Committee criticized that “the issue of unconstitutionality underlies with the U.S. government’s use of freedom of travel in light of political interests contrary to its professed free democracy, and with the undemocratic policy of restricting basic rights of innocent citizens by preventing them from having reunions with their relatives.”

Those who are associated with the Committee for a Lawsuit Against the Unconstitutional Travel Ban to North Korea called for withdrawal of the U.S. government’s measure of banning travel to North Korea, asserting that the stated reason of danger for banning travel to North Korea is far from the truth.

They emphasized that “North Korea is the safest country to travel to,” citing Data World information showing the following record of the death of American citizens while traveling to other countries during the period from Oct 2009 to June 2016: 598 in Mexico, 84 in Afghanistan, 74 in the Philippines, 65 in Haiti, 46 in Honduras, 45 in Dominican Republic, 39 in Jamaica, 34 in El Salvador, 27 in Costa Rica, 26 in Guatemala, 25 in Columbia, 16 in Belize, 12 in Ecuador, 11 in Thailand, 10 in Nigeria, and 10 or less in many other countries, but not even one (1) who died while traveling to the DPRK (North Korea).

The following nine persons belonging to the Committee for a Lawsuit Action Against the Unconstitutional Travel Ban to North Korea (abbreviated as the “Committee for a Lawsuit Against Unconstitutionality”) made public that they will be at the forefront in the movement calling for the withdrawal of the State Department’s policy of banning American citizens from traveling to North Korea:

Joon Ki Hyun and Hwal Woong Lee, of Los Angeles, California;

Ki Sik Park, of Boston, Massachusetts;

Young Chil Oh, of Chicago, Illinois;

Tae Young Yoo, of New York;

Jae Kyung Song, of Washington, D.C.;

Dr. Eun Sik Yang, of Corona, California;

Rev. Eun Hong Kang, of New York; and 

Dong Sang Han, of Las Vegas, Nevada.

During an interview with Minjok Tongshin, Mr. Joon Ki Hyun of Los Angeles stated, “the U.S. government’s measure of banning travel to North Korea is an inhumane and unconstitutional action to basically block the reunification of Korea and mutual visitations of divided families. As such, this measure is abhorred by many Korean Americans including those who have relatives in North Korea.” He added that “applications are now being accepted from those who are willing to participate in the lawsuit against the unconstitutionality and when the appropriate number of applications have been received, a lawsuit will be filed with a federal court.”

Mr. Ki Sik Park in Boston pointed out that the “Trump Administration’s travel ban to North Korea is tantamount to depriving displaced persons of their rights and their freedom and pursuit of happiness by virtually preventing them from visiting their native places and having a reunion with relatives, let alone travels of common individuals to North Korea.” He went on to say, “the Trump administration exaggerated the Otto Warmbier situation to the point of twisting the description of North Korea as a dangerous place where people should not travel to.”

Those associated with [The Committee for a Lawsuit  Against Unconstitutionality] expressed, “We are angry with the U.S. Government’s inhumane policy being enforced to block travel to and from North Korea as a means of isolating North Korea. Such a situation represents a posture against humanity involved with attempts to use Korean Americans in the United States as a sacrifice.”

The Committee for a Lawsuit Action Against Unconstitutionality, indicating its plan of filing a lawsuit with a federal court represented by a team of professional lawyers specializing in constitutional processing upon assembling litigation participants by September 22, 2017, seek to have active cooperation from Minjok Tongshin.

We seek to have a large number applicants participating in the Lawsuit Against the Unconstitutionality of the Travel Ban to North Korea.

The following are the contact numbers of the members of the Committee for a Lawsuit Against Unconstitutionality:

Mr. Joon Ki Hyun (Los Angeles) (213) 219-1247

Mr. Lee Hwal Woong (Granada Hills): (818) 368-9754

Mr. Ki Sik Park (Boston): (508) 277-2425

Mr. Oh Young Chil (Chicago): (847) 774-6324

Mr. Tae Young Yoo (New York): (201) 750-7379

Mr. Song Jae Kyung (Washington, D.C.): (703) 626-9366

Rev. Edward Eunhong Kang (New York State): (607) 687-7811

Yang Eun Sik, Ph.D (Corona, CA): (213) 605-0250

Mr. Han Dong Sang (Las Vegas): 

President of Minjok Tongshin: (213) 458-2245

Editorial Staff of Minjok Tongshin: (213) 507-4444