Free Joseon (Korean: 자유조선), formerly known as Cheollima Civil Defense (Korean: 천리마민방위) and formally styled as The Provisional Government of Free Joseon, is an anti-North Korea activist group and self-proclaimed government-in-exile established on 4 March 2017.
Overview
The organization was founded under the name Cheollima Civil Defense and was renamed to "Free Joseon" on 1 March 2019. "Joseon" is the proposed name for North Korea should its current government be overthrown. The group is based primarily in the United States and is led by Adrian Hong, a Mexican-American human rights activist of Korean descent.
Mission
On 1 March 2019, Free Joseon issued the "Declaration for a Free Joseon," enumerating nine accusations against the Kim regime in North Korea, including allegations of torture, terrorism, and failure to provide food for the population. The declaration proclaimed the Kim regime an illegitimate government and declared Free Joseon to be the sole legitimate representative government of the people of North Korea. The group calls for resistance against the Kim regime and for support from Koreans abroad.
Activities
- Free Joseon gained international attention for its role in protecting the family of Kim Jong-nam (including his son Kim Han-sol) following his assassination in Malaysia in 2017.
- The group has been involved in facilitating defections of North Koreans, including former North Korean ambassador to Italy, Jo Song-gil.
- In February 2019, the group was reportedly involved in an incident at the North Korean embassy in Madrid, Spain. Spanish media reported that two participants in the incident had links to the CIA, though the group's involvement has been characterized by some sources as a possible botched defection effort rather than a raid.
- In April 2019, the United States Department of Justice arrested Free Joseon member Christopher Ahn and raided the apartment of member Adrian Hong.
- The group provides support to North Korean defectors and operates as a decentralized resistance organization.
Status
Free Joseon is not recognized by any sovereign state as a legitimate government. It is classified as an activist organization and self-described provisional government operating primarily from abroad.
