norbert vollersten

Mie told me about a german doctor named Norbert Vollersten. He worked for a time in North Korea, and in reward for his amazing self-sacrificing efforts in helping the sick and injured there he was given free reign to travel in the country (a very rare privliege for a foreigner). In his travels he was shocked by the conditions the people were living in, due to their own countries actions. He realized he could do more to help the people by secretely shooting video footage and smuggling it out of the country.

[ article ]

Vollertsen arrived in North Korea in July 1999. On one occasion he had his own skin grafted to a burn victim. The regime recognized this kindness by awarding him a ``friendship medal.'' It was the first time for a foreigner to receive one. It gave him unusual access to many regions in North Korea.

Vollertsen decided to spill the beans on North Korea when U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright visited Pyongyang in October 2000. He drove foreign journalists around poorly equipped hospitals in defiance of orders that the press corps be kept on a tight leash.

He also wrote a statement of humanitarian principles that he believed were being violated and sent it to the North Korean government. It resulted in his expulsion.

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Comments

[Paul Heckbert]

try

http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/2001/0122/korea.doctor.html

or

the video at

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/03/08/eveningnews/main277401.shtml