Transcript - Remarks: Donald Trump Meets With North Korean Defectors - February 2, 2018 | Factba.se

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:22 (23 sec)

Okay, thank you very much. We have a very special group of people with us today. These are escapees from North Korea. There have been many of them over the last year, and there seems to be more and more. It's a tough place to live, and people aren’t liking it. There's great danger, great risk.

Donald Trump

00:00:22 - 00:00:54 (32 sec)

Seong-ho was with us the other night at the State of the Union Address, and really made an incredible impression on me and on everybody else, both on television and in that magnificent room. And I had an opportunity to meet with some of the folks, and their stories are amazing. And I thought, through our really fabulous interpreter, we could probably go through a couple of the stories, because they're incredible and very inspirational. So, escapees from North Korea.

Donald Trump

00:00:54 - 00:01:16 (22 sec)

Before we start, I just had a phone call with the President of South Korea, President Moon, and they are in dialogue, at least as it concerns the Olympics. And that's a good thing, not a bad thing. And we had a great call.

Donald Trump

00:01:16 - 00:01:50 (34 sec)

I also spoke to Prime Minister Abe of Japan, and we also had a very good call. So it's a very tricky situation. We're going to find out how it goes. But we think the Olympics will go very nicely. And after that, who knows. We'll find out. We're going to find out pretty soon, I suspect.

Donald Trump

00:01:50 - 00:02:19 (29 sec)

So I spoke to President Moon, spoke to Prime Minister Abe. And they were both very good calls, both concerning -- essentially concerning North Korea. So perhaps you can do that, and then I will -- I'll go ahead and we'll introduce a couple of the folks.

Donald Trump

00:02:19 - 00:02:33 (14 sec)

Who would like to tell the story? Would you like to start by saying what happened and how it is over there? Because the world would like to hear.

Lim Ji-Hyun

00:02:33 - 00:02:35 (2 sec)

[Via Interpreter]

Donald Trump

00:02:35 - 00:02:44 (8 sec)

That's tough stuff. That's pretty tough. So you got out, and hopefully you're enjoying your life?

Lim Ji-Hyun

00:02:44 - 00:02:46 (2 sec)

[Via Interpreter]

Lim Ji-Hyun

00:02:46 - 00:02:47 (2 sec)

[Via Interpreter]

Donald Trump

00:02:47 - 00:02:59 (12 sec)

Well, congratulations. That's great. That's great. It's a great story. Yes, go ahead.

Jung Gwang-il

00:02:59 - 00:03:46 (47 sec)

[Via Interpreter] My name is Jung Gwang-il. I was also imprisoned in North Korea -- a political prison. So I was there for three years. So I am heading an organization in South Korea called No Chain. And what we do is to try to stop abuse to North Korean political prisoners in North Korea, and we also focus on sending more information to North Korean residents so they are aware of what's happening outside North Korea and inside.

Jung Gwang-il

00:03:46 - 00:04:37 (52 sec)

[Via Interpreter] We heard President Trump make the remark and speech at the South Korean National Assembly, and I was the first one to translate that speech and send it to North Korea. And the people who saw President Trump's speech made at the Korean National Assembly was very moved and very impressed by the speech, and they were able to get confidence and support.

Donald Trump

00:04:37 - 00:04:50 (13 sec)

Thank you very much. That's very nice. Thank you very much. Hope it helped. That's great. Yes, ma'am.

Kim Young-soon

00:04:50 - 00:05:12 (22 sec)

[Via Interpreter] My name is Kim Young-soon. I was a political prisoner in North Korea. I was imprisoned in Yodok Prison for nine years. There's actually a musical, "Yodok

Kim Young-soon

00:05:12 - 00:05:51 (39 sec)

[Via Interpreter] There were seven in our family. My husband disappeared. I didn't know where he was. Of course, he -- I believe he's dead. So six of us went to the prison. My mother, my father, and their four -- we had four children. All of them died. And so I am remaining. And I have one son who is greatly physically disabled.

Kim Young-soon

00:05:51 - 00:06:51 (60 sec)

[Via Interpreter] So, in 1989, they said that I was spreading lies because they said that Sung Hae Rim is not a real wife of Kim Jong-il, and she had no son from Kim Jong-il. So they said, if you spread any more rumors, you'll feel the consequences. And that's when I decided to flee North Korea. I fled North Korea in 2001, and I spent two and a half years in China. And I came to South Korea after that, and it's been 14 years since I've lived in South Korea.

Donald Trump

00:06:51 - 00:06:53 (2 sec)

And things are going well?

Kim Young-soon

00:06:53 - 00:07:19 (26 sec)

[Via Interpreter] Yes, after I came to South Korea, I don't think I've made any contribution to South Korea, but they welcomed me. And I have a very positive mind. So I'm very appreciative what I have right now and live happily.

Donald Trump

00:07:19 - 00:07:27 (8 sec)

That's great. Great story. Thank you very much. It's an amazing story. Please.

Jung Gwang-il

00:07:27 - 00:07:31 (4 sec)

[Via Interpreter] Thank you for inviting us in to listen.

Donald Trump

00:07:31 - 00:07:32 (1 sec)

Jung Gwang-il

00:07:32 - 00:08:12 (40 sec)

[Via Interpreter] This is Peter [Inaudible] from Radio Free Asia, a broadcast supported by the U.S. government. I have been working in the USA. So I escaped to China in 2000, and I lived in South Korea for seven years. And the Radio Free Asia [Inaudible] invited me to work in Washington, D.C. So we are happy in the United States. And last year, I became a U.S. citizen. I was very honored to become United States citizen.

Donald Trump

00:08:12 - 00:08:16 (4 sec)

Great. Wow. That's fantastic. Congratulations.

Jung Gwang-il

00:08:16 - 00:08:20 (3 sec)

[Via Interpreter] Thank you.

Donald Trump

00:08:20 - 00:08:25 (6 sec)

That's great. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

Hyeonseo Lee

00:08:25 - 00:08:39 (14 sec)

[Via Interpreter] Mr. President, my name is Hyeonseo Lee, and I'm the author of "The Girl with the Seven Names." And I come from the most ridiculous country on Earth."

Hyeonseo Lee

00:08:39 - 00:09:04 (24 sec)

[Via Interpreter] First, I want to thank you for that you said the U.S. will act alone on North Korea if China does not help. That made me cry, because that's what exactly what I wanted to hear for so long from leaders like you.

Hyeonseo Lee

00:09:04 - 00:09:50 (47 sec)

[Via Interpreter] And I was present at your speech at the South Korea's National Assembly last November, and I really wanted to shout with joy because I was so moved. You put the spotlight on North Korea's human rights issues in front of the entire South Korean National Assembly, and refreshed the attention on these kind of issues. So I cannot thank you enough.

Hyeonseo Lee

00:09:50 - 00:10:40 (49 sec)

[Via Interpreter] Escaping from North Korea is not like leaving another country. It's more like leaving another universe. I will never truly be free of its gravity no matter how far I journey. After I escaped to China, I escaped an arranged marriage when I was 19, and I also escaped a brothel. And eventually, I was arrested by the Chinese police, but narrowly avoided being repatriated back to North Korea because of my Chinese language abilities. They couldn't believe that I was a North Korean defector.

Hyeonseo Lee

00:10:40 - 00:11:01 (21 sec)

[Via Interpreter] Due to all the things that are surrounding me, that I had to change my name so many times, hiding in China. So I became "The Girl with the Seven Names

Hyeonseo Lee

00:11:01 - 00:12:08 (67 sec)

[Via Interpreter] So because the Chinese government continued to repatriate North Korean defectors back to North Korea, where torture and imprisonment and the horrifying public executions are standard, even today. So, many North Korean defectors, even today, they're carrying poisons with them in case they are caught in China on their way to freedom to South Korea. They would rather die and kill themselves then be repatriated to North Korea and suffer horrifying results from the regime.

Hyeonseo Lee

00:12:08 - 00:12:32 (25 sec)

[Via Interpreter] So, Mr. President, please help us to stop the repatriations from China and give North Korean people the freedom that they deserve. Thank you for your time.

Donald Trump

00:12:32 - 00:12:42 (10 sec)

Thank you very much. Thank you very much. It's an amazing title of a book. Thank you.

Hyeonseo Lee

00:12:42 - 00:12:48 (5 sec)

[Via Interpreter] Can I give you to you?

Donald Trump

00:12:48 - 00:12:49 (1 sec)

Kwang-jin Kim

00:12:49 - 00:13:41 (52 sec)

[Via Interpreter] Mr. President, my name is Kwang-jin Kim. I defected in 2003. I worked in Singapore as a banking agent. I worked for Mr. [Inaudible] who was extremely, brutally killed by his cousin. And I ran the revolution from there, and I was lucky to escape North Korea with my wife and son. And my son is now safe. He actually, you know, graduated Youngstown High School here in Arlington.

Donald Trump

00:13:41 - 00:13:42 (1 sec)

Kwang-jin Kim

00:13:42 - 00:14:18 (37 sec)

[Via Interpreter] And I worked for three years ago in a human rights committee, U.S. human rights committee [Inaudible], here in Washington, DC. Since I defected, I began to study -- work for government think tank, which is called INSS, writing reports of North Korea and security issues.

Kwang-jin Kim

00:14:18 - 00:15:28 (70 sec)

[Via Interpreter] And, you know, I really want to thank you for your wonderful remarks at the State of the Union and invitation of our friend Ji there. He was the only foreigner invited there, and I think -- and also thank you very much for the speech last year at the South Korean Assembly. And I'm sure that your message will be -- will discredit the -- you know, force -- will discredit the -- I just forgot that exact wording of this speech. It will give courage to the North Korean elite and will be a great inspiration to many people there. So, thank you so much.

Donald Trump

00:15:28 - 00:16:20 (52 sec)

Well, thank you very much. That's really -- they're incredible stories. We actually have two other people outside, and they're literally afraid of execution. They didn't want to be with cameras, and I can understand that. They were very concerned with that, and we would certainly not want to force them to be here. So they're right outside but they didn't want to be on camera for a lot of very bad reasons.

Donald Trump

00:16:20 - 00:16:59 (38 sec)

I want to thank you. You were so incredible the other night during the State of the Union. The story of walking across China -- and further than that. There's sort of a funny story: When I said I'd like to have him stand, one of my people said, "Don't ask him to stand

Seong-ho Ji

00:16:59 - 00:18:10 (71 sec)

[Via Interpreter] Thank you very much. This is unimaginable for me to be here and invited in such incredible events. I think this honor I will not forget and that I'll carry it for the rest of my life. And I've been crying a lot these past few days. After I returned from the State of the Union Address and I came back to the hotel, I kept crying because I was so moved by the whole experience. And I also saw that President Trump had also put my story on the Instagram, so I cried again.

Seong-ho Ji

00:18:10 - 00:18:33 (23 sec)

[Via Interpreter] And actually, when President Trump came to South Korea and delivered his speech at the Korean National Assembly, I cried as well. So, actually, the speeches that I was so moved and influenced, and brought me to tears, are the two speeches that I heard from President Trump.

Seong-ho Ji

00:18:33 - 00:18:50 (17 sec)

[Via Interpreter] And I'm so appreciative that President Trump thinks about how the people in North Korea are suffering and that you're paying attention and trying to help us. So, thank you.

Donald Trump

00:18:50 - 00:19:33 (43 sec)

Well, we do. And those are amazing stories. And I want to thank you all for being here. This is the Oval Office. Very famous office. I guess, most of you have heard about the Oval Office. A lot of things happen here. Hopefully, they're all for the good, but a lot of things happen right in this space. So it's my honor to have you here. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you.

Question

00:19:33 - 00:19:38 (5 sec)

Mr. President, what do you think of the memo?

Donald Trump

00:19:38 - 00:20:12 (33 sec)

I think the memo -- I think it's terrible. You want to know the truth? I think it's a disgrace. What's going on in this country, I think it's a disgrace. The memo was sent to Congress. It was declassified. Congress will do whatever they're going to do, but I think it's a disgrace what's happening in our country.

Donald Trump

00:20:12 - 00:20:25 (13 sec)

And when you look at that, and you see that, and so many other things, what's going on -- a lot of people should be ashamed of themselves and much worse than that.

Donald Trump

00:20:25 - 00:20:44 (19 sec)

So I sent it over to Congress and they will do what they're going to do. Whatever they do is fine. It was declassified. And let's see what happens. But a lot of people should be ashamed. Thank you very much.

Question

00:20:44 - 00:20:49 (5 sec)

Are you not concerned that the FBI doesn't want the memo out?

Donald Trump

00:20:49 - 00:20:51 (2 sec)

Thank you very much.

Question

00:20:51 - 00:21:04 (13 sec)

Does it make you more likely to fire Rosenstein? Do you still have confidence in him after reading the memo?

Donald Trump

00:21:04 - 00:21:08 (3 sec)

You figure that one out.

Question

00:21:08 - 00:21:10 (2 sec)

We haven't seen it yet though.

Question

00:21:10 - 00:21:15 (6 sec)

[Inaudible] North Korea by having this meeting today?

Donald Trump

00:21:15 - 00:21:54 (39 sec)

I don't think so. These are just great people that have suffered incredibly. There are many, many others like them that have suffered so much, and they were here and I said, let's tell your story very quickly. We have others in a different room, as I told you, that are really petrified to be here. Petrified. So, it's tough stuff. It's tough stuff.

Question

00:21:54 - 00:22:04 (10 sec)

Mr. President, do you believe there's more the United States can do to help North Korean defectors?

Donald Trump

00:22:04 - 00:22:26 (22 sec)

Well, we're doing a lot. We've done more than -- I mean, we have many administrations that should have acted on this a long time ago when it wasn't that this kind of a -- when we weren't in this kind of a position.

Donald Trump

00:22:26 - 00:23:00 (34 sec)

You know, we ran out of road -- you know the expression. The road really ended. They could've done it 12 years ago. They could have done it 20 years ago. They could've done it four years ago and two years ago. We have no road left.

Donald Trump

00:23:00 - 00:23:27 (27 sec)

So we'll see what happens. But, in the meantime, we'll get through the Olympics and maybe something good can come out of the Olympics. Who knows. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you.

Question

00:23:27 - 00:23:31 (3 sec)

Do you still have confidence in Rosenstein after --

Donald Trump

00:23:31 - 00:23:34 (3 sec)

Thank you very much everybody.

Question

00:23:34 - 00:23:42 (8 sec)

Super Bowl predictions? Super Bowl predictions, sir?

Donald Trump

00:23:42 - 00:23:48 (6 sec)

I better not get involved. [Laughter]