Adrian Hong
Adrian Hong Chang (b. 1983 or 1984 at Tijuana), is an activist of Korean descent, U.S. residence, and Mexican citizenship,[1] notable for his human rights activism and participation in the raid on North Korea's embassy in Madrid.
Adrian Hong Chang | |
|---|---|
 Hong in 2019 | |
| Born | 1983 or 1984 Tijuana, Baja California, United Mexican States |
| Other names | Mathew Chao Adrian Hong Oswaldo Trump |
| Citizenship | Mexican |
| Alma mater | Yale University |
| Organization | Free Joseon |
| Known for | Human rights activism, participation in the raid of North Korea's Madrid embassy |
| Home town | Chula Vista, California, United States of America |
Hong serves as managing director of the political group Free Joseon and was previously head of Pegasus Strategies LLC, "a strategic advisory firm." His commentary calling attention to North Korean human rights abuses has been published in many American newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times.[2]
Life
Hong's father, Joseph, was a Christian missionary and taekwondo champion, who immigrated to Tijuana, B.C., Mexico. He taught martial arts in Tijuana under the name 'El Tigre'.[3] Hong was born in Tijuana in either 1983 or 1984., making him a Mexican national by birth. In 1991, at the age of seven, he immigrated along with his family to Chula Vista, California.[3]
Hong attended Yale University.[3]
Hong was the co-founder and Executive Director of Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), an international NGO devoted to human rights in North Korea.[4] In May 2006, LINK helped arrange the first asylum to be given to North Korean refugees by the US.[5]
Hong was arrested and deported from China for his efforts to help North Korean refugees living in the country illegally. [6]
In 2009, his work with Liberty in North Korea appears to have ended, according to a statement from that group in 2019. Hong was selected as a TED fellow[7].
In 2011, he travelled to Libya to "help open the door for the evacuation of tens of thousands of injured civilians and provide them with urgent medical care in Jordan." He also co-founded the group Street Symphony with another TED fellow, Robert Vijay Gupta. [8]
In 2012, Hong was the co-recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant.[2]
Involvement in North Korean embassy raid
In February 2019, Hong was charged by Spanish authorities along with other perpetrators for invading North Korean embassy and assaulting the staff during the raid on North Korea's embassy in Madrid, during which he used the aliases 'Mathew Chao' and 'Oswaldo Trump'.[9]
See also
- Human rights in North Korea
- Phillip Buck
- TED Fellows
- Freedom Fighter
References
- "North Korean Embassy Attack Suspects Fled To U.S., Spanish Court Says". NPR.org. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
- "Adrian Hong". Street Symphony. July 21, 2012. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- Tremlett, Giles (2019-09-10). "Inside the bizarre, bungled raid on North Korea's Madrid embassy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
- Paul Eckert (21 October 2006). "North Korea nuclear row sharpens humanitarian fears". Reuters. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- "First N Korean refugees reach US". The Indian Express. Reuters. 8 May 2006. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- Nicholas Eberstadt and Christopher Griffin (February 19, 2007). "Saving North Korea's Refugees". The New York Times. Retrieved August 6, 2012.
- "Adrian Hong". TED. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
- "Our Approach". Street Symphony. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- Budryk, Zack (2019-03-26). "Mexican national offered FBI materials stolen from North Korean embassy in Spain: Report". TheHill. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
External links