Kenneth Bae (born Pae Jun Ho; born August 1, 1968) is a
Korean-American Evangelical Christian
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being " born again", in which an individual expe ...
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
convicted by
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
on charges of planning to overthrow the North Korean government, including setting up bases in
China for the purpose of toppling the North Korean government. In April 2013, he was sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment.
He was released on November 8, 2014, along with fellow American
Matthew Todd Miller
Matthew Todd Miller (born August 26, 1989) is an American citizen who was detained in North Korea (DPRK). He had travelled to North Korea intending to get arrested. He was sentenced to six years of hard labor on September 14, 2014, for committin ...
.
In 2016, he founded the NGO named NGI - Nehemiah Global Initiative, whose goals consist of remembering, rescuing, and recovering North Korean refugees and rebuilding their lives in China and South Korea.
Early life
Bae was born in
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...
in 1968. Bae moved to the United States at age 16 with his family in 1985,
first settling in
San Jose, California
San Jose, officially San José (; ; ), is a major city in the U.S. state of California that is the cultural, financial, and political center of Silicon Valley and largest city in Northern California by both population and area. With a 2020 popu ...
then later relocating to Torrance, California, in the Los Angeles district. Bae (as Jun Ho Bae)
graduated from
West High School in Torrance in 1988, when he was 20 years old.
He studied at the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
in
Eugene, Oregon for two years, majoring in psychology and minoring in Chinese in preparation for possible ministerial work in China.
[ Bae left schooling all together for a time in order to support his family. Later, he studied at the San Francisco Bible College, graduating in 1996,] as well as at Covenant Theological Seminary
Covenant Theological Seminary, informally called Covenant Seminary, is the denominational seminary of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Located in Creve Coeur, Missouri, it trains people to work as leaders in church positions and elsewhe ...
, where he earned a Master's of Divinity degree in 2002.
Career and personal life
Bae met his wife, Lydia, two weeks after starting at the University of Oregon, and got married a year later. He had his first child with Lydia, a son named Jonathan, in 1990, as well as a daughter, Natalie, in 1996. Bae later moved to Dalian, China
Dalian () is a major sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the provincial capital Shenyang) and the third-most populous city of Northeast China. Located on th ...
in 2006, and then to Dandong, China, near neighboring North Korea.
Bae lived in Lynnwood, Washington
Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The city is part of the Seattle metropolitan area and is located north of Seattle and south of Everett, near the junction of Interstate 5 and Interstate 405. It is the f ...
, in Snohomish County
Snohomish County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. With a population of 827,957 as of the 2020 census, it is the third-most populous county in Washington, after nearby King and Pierce counties, and the 75th-most populous ...
. Bae has a sister, Terri Chung, who is stated to live in Lynnwood and in Edmonds Edmonds may refer to:
* Edmonds (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the surname)
* Edmonds, Washington, a city in Washington, US
** Edmonds station (Washington), a passenger train station in Washington, US
* Edmonds station (SkyTr ...
, which is also in Snohomish County.
As of January 2014, Bae is the father of two children in Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
and of another child in Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
, ages 17, 22 and 23. Bae also has at least one stepdaughter.
Working with YWAM's University of the Nations, Bae lived in China with his wife and his step-daughter for seven years. He created a tourism company called "Nations Tour" for North Korean special economic zone visits that were stated to be Christian missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thomas Hale 'On Being a Mi ...
trips.
Arrest and prosecution
In December 2012, human rights activists
A human rights defender or human rights activist is a person who, individually or with others, acts to promote or protect human rights. They can be journalists, environmentalists, whistleblowers, trade unionists, lawyers, teachers, housing camp ...
in Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
reported that an American had been held in North Korea for a month. On December 21, 2012, North Korea announced that it had charged an American identified as Bae Jun-ho with "hostile acts against the republic." Between January 7 and January 10, former UN ambassador
A permanent representative to the United Nations (sometimes called a "UN ambassador")"History of Ambassadors", United States Mission to the United Nations, March 2011, webpagUSUN-a. is the head of a country's diplomatic mission to the United Nati ...
Bill Richardson
William Blaine Richardson III (born November 15, 1947) is an American politician, author, and diplomat who served as the 30th governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011. He was also the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and Energy Secretary ...
was unable to meet Bae and delivered a letter from Bae's son to North Korean authorities.
North Korean media stated Bae was prosecuted with:[
*Working with evangelical organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and its missionary training center, the University of the Nations; Bae is accused of preaching against the North Korean government in American and South Korean churches.]
*Planning an anti-North Korean religious coup d'état called "Operation Jericho" (a reference to the biblical city whose walls were toppled by the sound of the Israelites' trumpets), which began in the US, South Korea, and China long before Bae traveled to North Korea.[ Jessica Phelan and Geoffrey Cain]
North Korea claims American Kenneth Bae led Christian plot to overthrow regime
(May 10, 2013).
*Setting up bases in China for the purpose of toppling the DPRK.
*Encouraging North Korean citizens to bring down the government.
*Conducting a malignant smear campaign.
On April 30, 2013, North Korea's Supreme Court sentenced Bae to 15 years of hard labor.
Prison life
On May 14, 2013, he was moved to a special prison. Bae would do eight hours of farm labor a day.
Bae sent hand-written letters to his family claiming that he was going blind and that help was needed. On July 3, 2013, an interview with Bae was released, in which he spoke of health problems including diabetes
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...
, high blood pressure, fatty liver
Fatty liver disease (FLD), also known as hepatic steatosis, is a condition where excess fat builds up in the liver. Often there are no or few symptoms. Occasionally there may be tiredness or pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. Complicat ...
, and a back problem.[ When asked if prison life was bearable, he replied: "Yes, people here are very considerate. But my health is not in the best condition, so there are some difficulties. But, everyone here is considerate and generous, and we have doctors here, so I'm getting regular check-ups."][ A ]Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
ambassador met with Bae in a hospital in August 2013; his sister reported that he was moved from the camp because of deteriorating health and after losing more than . Bae's mother, Myunghee Bae, arrived in North Korea on October 11 to visit her son for five days. She was allowed three visits, totaling six hours. In February 2014, Bae left the hospital and returned to the work camp.
Reactions
United States
On the day he was sentenced, the United States called for the immediate release of Kenneth Bae on humanitarian grounds. During the 2013 Korean crisis, North Korea stated that the reason the country did not invite US officials to Pyongyang
Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populat ...
for Bae's release is that he is not a "political bargaining chip."
On July 3, 2013, an interview with Bae was released, in which he begged for forgiveness from his captors and for United States' help. Despite getting a weekly update from the State Department, Kenneth's family insisted that the United States government wasn't doing a good enough job bringing him back.[ It was confirmed later in July that ]Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. (born October 1, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1 ...
had no plans to visit North Korea regarding Bae.
On August 13, State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf
Marie Elizabeth Harf (born June 15, 1981) is a liberal political commentator for the Fox News Channel and former deputy campaign manager for policy and communications for the Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) presidential campaign. She served as the S ...
stated that the United States was "willing to consider a number of different options to secure his release." On August 27, the United States announced that its North Korean human rights envoy, Robert R. King, would travel to Pyongyang and ask for the government to pardon Bae, but three days later North Korea rescinded its invitation. The reason given for the cancellation was that the United States used nuclear-capable bombers in military drills with South Korea.
On November 30, the United States called for the release of Bae and Merrill Newman, an American citizen also being detained who confessed to "indelible crimes" during his service in the Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said: "We continue to urge the DPRK
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu (Amnok) and T ...
authorities to grant aeamnesty and immediate release." American officials talked to relatives of both detainees. On December 7, Newman was released; Marie Harf stated: "We welcome the DPRK's decision to release ewman This positive decision by the DPRK throws into sharper relief the continuing detention of Bae. We call on the DPRK once again to pardon and grant Mr. Bae special amnesty and immediately release him as a humanitarian gesture so that he too can return home to his family."
On January 20, 2014, Bae said in a statement that he had committed a "serious crime" against North Korea, and that the nation does "not abuse human rights." He asked the United States government "to make more active efforts and pay more attention." The United States then offered to send Robert R. King to North Korea.
Dennis Rodman
On May 7, 2013, after reading an article from ''The Seattle Times
''The Seattle Times'' is a daily newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, United States. It was founded in 1891 and has been owned by the Blethen family since 1896. ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in Washington ...
'', former professional basketball player Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman (born May 13, 1961) is an American former professional basketball player. Known for his fierce defensive and rebounding abilities, his biography on the official NBA website states that he is "arguably the best reboundin ...
sent out a tweet asking his "friend" Kim Jong-un to do him "a solid" and release Bae.
On May 10, Rodman promised that he would go to North Korea on August 1 to rescue Bae. Rodman criticized United States President Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
, saying, "We got a black president hocan't even go talk to ong-un... Obama can't do anything, I don't know why he won't go talk to him."[ Rodman did not go to North Korea in August,] but did go in September 2013. While in Beijing, Rodman said he was visiting North Korea again to create a basketball league there and to fix American-North Korean relations. Rodman declined to discuss Bae. The same month, Rodman returned from China and lost his temper when he was asked questions about Bae, saying that Bae was not his responsibility.
On January 7, 2014, while in North Korea, Rodman was asked if he would raise the issue of Kenneth Bae during a CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
interview. He became agitated and said, "Kenneth Bae did one thing ... If you understand what Kenneth Bae did. Do you understand what he did in this country? No, no, no, you tell me, you tell me. Why is he held captive here in this country, why? ... I would love to speak on this." The next day, Bae's sister said of Rodman's comments, "There is no diplomacy, only games, and at my brother's expense." Rodman apologized for his comments about Kenneth Bae on January 9, 2014, saying he had been drinking and was stressed when he made the remarks.
Kenneth Bae would later credit Dennis Rodman with his early release, saying that Rodman's rant raised awareness of his case and that he wished to personally thank him.
Release
Bae was released by North Korean authorities on Saturday, November 8, 2014 along with fellow American Matthew Todd Miller
Matthew Todd Miller (born August 26, 1989) is an American citizen who was detained in North Korea (DPRK). He had travelled to North Korea intending to get arrested. He was sentenced to six years of hard labor on September 14, 2014, for committin ...
. In 2016, Bae published a book about his ordeal: ''Not Forgotten: The True Story of My Imprisonment in North Korea''.
Nehemiah Global Initiative
In 2017, Bae decided to found a NGO to help North Korean refugees and raise the awareness of people around the world about the situation in North Korea.
See also
*Human rights in North Korea
The human rights record of North Korea is often considered to be the worst in the world and has been globally condemned, with the United Nations, the European Union and groups such as Human Rights Watch all critical of the country's record. Most ...
*List of Americans detained by North Korea
This is a list of foreign nationals who have been detained in North Korea. Excluded from the list are any persons who were detained while on active military duty and held as Korean War POWs detained in North Korea, prisoners of war or List of Ame ...
*Hyeon Soo Lim
Hyeon Soo Lim (; born February 16, 1955) is a Canadian pastor of the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Mississauga. He is a South Korean-born Canadian citizen. He was operating humanitarian efforts in North Korea providing tens of millions o ...
, a Canadian Christian detained in February 2015 under similar circumstances and sentenced to life in prison with hard labor.
References
Further reading
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bae, Kenneth
1968 births
Living people
2013 in North Korea
American Protestant missionaries
American people imprisoned abroad
People from Lynnwood, Washington
People from Torrance, California
Place of birth missing (living people)
American people imprisoned in North Korea
South Korean emigrants to the United States
University of Oregon alumni
Protestant missionaries in South Korea
Protestant missionaries in North Korea
People from Edmonds, Washington
American expatriates in North Korea