North Korean defector separates fact from fiction for Area IV KATUSAs

By Joel Changhoon LeeMay 30, 2014

North Korean defector separates fact from fiction for Area IV KATUSAs
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Korean Augmentation to the United States Army Soldiers across Area IV gathered to receive a lecture from a North Korean defector. The Area IV Republic of Korea Army Support Group invited Choi Jung-hoon, a security lecturer and former North Korean sol... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
North Korean defector separates fact from fiction for Area IV KATUSAs
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Korean Augmentation to the United States Army Soldiers across Area IV gathered to receive a lecture from a North Korean defector. The Area IV Republic of Korea Army Support Group invited Choi Jung-hoon, a security lecturer and former North Korean sol... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
North Korean defector separates fact from fiction for Area IV KATUSAs
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Korean Augmentation to the United States Army Soldiers across Area IV gathered to receive a lecture from a North Korean defector. The Area IV Republic of Korea Army Support Group invited Choi Jung-hoon, a security lecturer and former North Korean sol... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
North Korean defector separates fact from fiction for Area IV KATUSAs
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Korean Augmentation to the United States Army Soldiers across Area IV gathered to receive a lecture from a North Korean defector. The Area IV Republic of Korea Army Support Group invited Choi Jung-hoon, a security lecturer and former North Korean sol... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

CAMP HENRY, South Korea (May 30, 2014) -- Korean Augmentation to the United States Army Soldiers across Area IV gathered to receive a lecture from a North Korean defector. The Area IV Republic of Korea Army Support Group invited Choi Jung-hoon, a security lecturer and former North Korean soldier, as a guest speaker to teach the KATUSAs the reality of North Korea and the necessity for unification on May 27.

Choi started by recalling his Military career in North Korea. He served in the North Korean Military for 10 years. His father and two brothers were also government officers, working in Intelligence.

"North Korea cannot change itself. There is no one who can sacrifice their lives for freedom and democracy due to the guilt-by-association system" Choi said.

"Every relative of the criminals who betrayed Kim Jong-un is executed, which makes North Koreans feel very terrified."

He escaped from North Korea in December 2006 and took one year to arrive here by passing through China and Thailand. Upon his arrival he started to fight for the freedom and liberation of North Koreans. His anti-North Korea actions resulted in his last brother, who had remained in North Korea, to be executed by a firing squad in 2011.

During the lecture, he asked a question of the KATUSAs, "What is the standard North Korean rifle?" However, not a single KATUSA could answer correctly.

Choi then quoted a phrase from Sun Tzu's the Art of the War, the oldest book on strategy. "If you know your enemy and yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril."

"North Korean Soldiers are tested on the knowledge from Korean Military weapon to common senses of South Korea's society annually," Choi added.

He encouraged KATUSAs to learn more about North Korea to protect their country against the enemy.

"I visited plenty of troops as a security lecturer, it was my first time to speak to KATUSAs and I was glad to tell them the truth of North Korea. I hope all KATUSAs have a pride in being a South Korean soldier," Choi said.

Choi's lecture had the desired impact as the KATUSAs in 19th Expeditionary Sustainment Command walked away with a firmer grasp on their purpose.

Cpl. Han Hee-won said, "Today I learned the reality of North Korea by attending the lecture. I think we need to be alert the threat of North Korea."

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