Ushering in the North Korean Human Rights Movement 2.0

Kwak Gil-sup

President of One Korea Center

Ph.D. in Public Policy

There’s a saying: "In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity." It’s a reminder that tough times can lead to meaningful change. That’s the message I want to share with North Korean human rights advocates—at home and abroad—now facing the fallout from the Trump administration’s deep cuts to federal jobs and foreign aid.

U.S. Government Restructuring: Background and Direction

Since returning to office, President Trump has doubled down on his core campaign promises—“Make America Great Again” and “America First.” The Biden-era priorities of big government, free trade, and value-driven diplomacy are now relics of the past. Today, the focus is trimmed-down governance and unwavering pursuit of national interest.

Following this vision, the U.S. has launched global trade disputes, pulled out of major international agreements like WHO, UNESCO, and the Paris Agreement, and even hinted at leaving NATO. It marks a major shift in the post-WWII global order—what many see as the return of great-power geopolitics.

The North Korean human rights field has taken a direct hit. Early in his term, Trump signed Executive Order 14169, cutting nearly all foreign aid except for urgent humanitarian relief. Citing inefficiency and misalignment with national interests, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) branded USAID—a major force in global development—as a “criminal organization” and effectively shut it down, despite its $43 billion budget.

According to The Munhwa Ilbo on March 17, about 90% of USAID’s international aid contracts are being canceled. Key agencies like DRL and NED, which each contribute around $10 million annually to North Korean human rights efforts, have also suspended funding during a three-month review.

Even VOA and RFA, crucial outlets for reporting on North Korea, are facing possible shutdown. Although a Maryland federal court issued an injunction on March 18 to stop further closures, many believe the U.S. has already crossed the Rubicon.

Voices from the Front Lines of Human Rights Work

President Trump has pushed for deeper cuts, while Elon Musk highlighted his reform agenda with a symbolic “chainsaw performance.” Since March 15, new broadcasts have stopped, and VOA and RFA’s Korean-language services—once vital channels for promoting democracy in North Korea—now face closure. With annual budgets of $6.8 million and $3.19 million, they’ve long served as lifelines into one of the world’s most closed societies.

As North Korea tightens control through laws like the “Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Law,” which allows the death penalty for sharing foreign media, shutting down these services cuts off one of the last remaining links to the outside world—something few anticipated.

One RFA journalist expressed their disbelief on Facebook: “As of today, we’re operating in emergency mode. For many of us, this could be our last day. When the Trump administration first cut development aid, I never thought it would go this far.”

A representative from a North Korean human rights NGO in South Korea, speaking anonymously, said nearly all U.S. funding has been cut. “We can’t sustain regular operations, and even basic costs like salaries and rent are a struggle. About 70% of our work is gone—closer to 90% for smaller groups,” they told *The Munhwa Ilbo* on March 17.

Challenges and the Way Forward

For years, funding from the U.S. State Department has been the lifeblood of North Korean human rights organizations. The Trump administration’s abrupt decision has shaken the entire ecosystem—especially the independent broadcasters and civic groups that have carried out North Korean democratization efforts under incredibly tough conditions.

Some fear this may lead to a full collapse. Many of these groups don’t just share news from the outside world with North Koreans—they operate paid informant networks, conduct investigative journalism, and provide the world with critical reports on human rights abuses inside the regime. These core functions are now in serious jeopardy.

But the crisis is already here—and now isn’t the time for despair. What’s needed is a collective push for solutions. Domestic human rights organizations must take this moment to invest in self-sufficiency. At their core, NGOs are meant to be powered by civil society—not reliant on government handouts.

To move forward, these groups need to reduce their reliance on U.S. funding and adopt more sustainable practices—like building grassroots donor networks and creating stable income sources. At the same time, we should work with media and civil society to build public support and ask: “Does cutting this funding really align with America’s long-term goals?” and “Are we trading something far greater for short-term gains?