The Alliance for Korea United (AKU) – USA, in collaboration with Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) at UCLA and the UCLA Korean American Student Association (KASA), co-hosted an inspiring webinar featuring Juhyeon Kim, a young North Korean escapee and passionate advocate for Korean reunification. The forum was held under the theme “Korean Dream: Leading the Next Generation Toward Reunification.” Speaking live from South Korea, Kim shared her personal story of courage, freedom, and her mission to empower the next generation toward a unified Korea.
Juhyeon Kim, an advocate for Korean reunification and AKU team leader.
Born into an elite family in North Korea, Juhyeon Kim experienced firsthand the limits of privilege in a country ruled by strict control and surveillance. Her determination to pursue freedom led her to convince her parents to escape through Russia, where they eventually found safety and a new life in South Korea. Today, she serves as a team leader at AKU, leading efforts to amplify the voices of North Korean escapees and mobilize youth around the Korean Dream, a vision for a free and unified Korea rooted in the founding ideal of Hongik Ingan, which means living for the greater benefit of humanity.
AKU-USA is a coalition of Korean-American organizations and individuals committed to advancing the cause of a unified Korea that fulfils the historic ideals and aspirations of the Korean people. Through forums, education programs, policy initiatives, and community engagement projects, AKU-USA works to build consensus and momentum toward reunification while strengthening the longstanding partnership between the Republic of Korea and the United States and deepening the bonds between the Korean and American peoples. With the support of the Korean diaspora, over 7.4 million ethnic Koreans living outside Korea, many of whom played a key role in the 1919 Independence Movement, AKU views the diaspora as a powerful force in shaping a shared vision for a free and just Korea.
Namsik Yoo, the director of youth programs at AKU-USA.
The event, moderated by Namsik Yoo, the director of youth programs at AKU, opened with introductions from student organizers and a presentation on the Korean Dream movement. Participants learned how university students across the U.S.—including Stanford, Princeton, UC Berkeley, and UCLA—are joining the global call for peace and unification through the Korean Dream Signature Campaign.
During the dialogue, Kim contrasted her early life in North Korea with her experiences abroad in Russia, where she first witnessed personal freedoms and opportunities unavailable in her homeland. She described how this contrast fueled her conviction to seek change, not only for herself but for her generation. Kim also spoke about the difficult process of adapting to South Korean society, highlighting the emotional and social challenges that many escapees face. She emphasized the importance of mentorship, education, and emotional support for North Korean escapees as they adjust to freedom.
Responding to audience questions, Kim shed light on the realities of propaganda and control in North Korea, including forced participation in massive state events. She contrasted this with South Korea’s voluntary and vibrant celebrations of liberation, highlighting how freedom allows citizens to act by choice, not by compulsion.
Kim also discussed her role in AKU’s growing youth network, through which she engages young leaders from across Asia to advance peacebuilding and unification initiatives. Reflecting on her journey, she said that the Korean Dream is not merely a political goal but a moral vision, “about reuniting divided families and building a nation that can shine a light to the rest of the world.”
The session concluded with a live Q&A, during which participants from around the world, including students from Stanford and Chicago, posed thoughtful questions about education, human rights, and ways to support escapees.
As the event concluded, Yoo expressed gratitude to Kim and all the student partners, urging attendees to continue raising awareness and contributing to the global movement for a Unified Korea. The evening closed with the Korean Dream campaign song “Oh Come, O Glorious Light,” symbolizing hope and unity for the Korean people.
The One Korea Global Campaign led by the Global Peace Foundation builds on the growing momentum created by the Alliance for Korea United and its partner networks. By connecting grassroots activism, youth leadership, diaspora engagement, and international cooperation, the campaign amplifies inspiring stories, such as Juhyeon Kim’s, and turns them into a shared mission for reconciliation and hope. By linking Korea’s destiny with the hopes of humanity, the campaign reminds us that achieving the Korean Dream is not only about ending division, but rather, about advancing peace for all.
Sign your support for the Korean Dream.
