North and South Korea pull out of unified Olympic march (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says politics have prevented North and South Korea from marching together in tonight's opening ceremony.

Bush, in Seoul, surprises with return to hard line on North Korea (World Tribune)

WASHINGTON — United States President George W Bush has resurrected the issue of North Korea's record on human rights at a time when he had appeared to have completely reversed the hard line of his first term toward Pyongyang.

North, South Korea Fail To Broker Joint Olympics March (The New York Sun)

BEIJING — South and North Korea will not march together in tomorrow's opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. The IOC president, Jacques Rogge, said today that negotiations for a joint march failed, calling it a "setback for peace" and reunification efforts on the divided peninsula. Athletes from the two Koreas marched together in the same uniform under the blue and white "unification flag" at ...

Nigeria: North Korea Beat Falcons 1-0 in Opener (AllAfrica.com)

Kim Kyong Hwa scored a first-half goal as North Korea beat Super Falcons of Nigeria 1-0 to jump to the lead of Group F in the women's Olympic football tournament.

North Korea says no to Bush envoy visit to factories (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

North Korea has rejected a request by a Bush administration human rights envoy to visit a factory park in the North where South Korean firms make goods using cheap labor from the North, an official said on Tuesday.

Bush praises South Korea, rebukes North (CNN.com)

U.S. President George W. Bush praised the U.S. relationship with South Korea on Wednesday and said the two nations should continue to work together to eliminate threats from North Korea.

North Korea beats Nigeria 1-0 in Olympic opener (Canadian Press via Yahoo! News)

SHENYANG, China - North Korea beat Nigeria 1-0 in women's soccer Wednesday, getting a 27-minute goal from Kim Kyong Hwa on the opening day of Olympic competition.

North Korea May Allow Some Internet Use in 2009, Chosun Reports (Bloomberg.com)

Aug. 7 (Bloomberg) -- North Korea may start allowing some individuals and government agencies to access the Internet next year, Chosun Ilbo newspaper reported , citing the head of a group of North Korean defectors based in South Korea.

Couple reunited in North Korea after 47 years (International Herald Tribune)

Renate Hong, a 71-year-old German grandmother, was separated from her husband in 1961, when North Korea recalled all 350 of its students who were in East Germany.

Bush Says North Korea Needs to Do More to Be Off Terror List (New York Times)

President Bush?s comments raise the prospect of new delays in the dismantling of North Korea?s nuclear program.

Letter from the Director

Dear Friends,

It has been nearly three years since a group of citizens were told of the tragedies of the North Korean people and committed to speaking on behalf of them. People all over the world hear of such injustices daily and yet move on with their lives as if they knew nothing.

But this group was different; and from it sprang an organization today known as LiNK – Liberty in North Korea. A collection of passionate citizens and humanitarians from all backgrounds, faiths, and walks of life, united in the common conviction of conscience that men and women everywhere are born free, and deserve liberty.

US Congress Holds NKHR Hearing

On Thursday, March 1, the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Global Environment held a hearing entitled, "North Korean Human Rights: An Update", featuring US Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights, Jay Lefkowitz.

The Special Envoy's statement is available here. You can also download Chairman Faleomavaega's statement here, and see a webcast of the hearing here.

Congressman Ed Royce of California also inserted a statement by LiNK Executive Director, Adrian Hong, into the US Congressional Record. An excerpt follows: