Timothy Cho, a North Korean human rights activist, tells his story at a conference at the Emmanuel Centre. London, United Kingdom, in August 2025
In recent remarks at a conference in London, Timothy Cho, a North Korean defector and current secretary of the UK Parliament’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea, invoked two historic figures: William Wilberforce, the 18th-century British politician who spearheaded the abolition of the slave trade, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German theologian executed for resisting Hitler. For Cho, their legacy of faith and moral courage serves as a blueprint for confronting today’s darkest injustices.
Wilberforce: Faith-Driven Political Reform
In 18th-century Britain, the slave trade was the backbone of the empire’s wealth. Challenging it seemed unthinkable. Yet Wilberforce, driven by his Christian convictions, believed that every human being was created in the image of God.
For more than two decades, he endured ridicule and repeated parliamentary defeats. In 1807, the Slave Trade Act passed, followed by the full abolition of slavery in 1833—just three days after his death. Wilberforce’s perseverance demonstrated that faith could drive political reform, providing a model for Cho’s own work in Parliament to address North Korean abuses.
Wilberforce (right) and Bonhoeffer (left)
Bonhoeffer: Refusing Silence in the Face of Evil
When the Nazi regime co-opted much of the German church, Bonhoeffer helped lead the Confessing Church, insisting that “Christ alone is the head of the Church.” He warned, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil,” condemning passivity as complicity.
Imprisoned for his resistance and eventually executed in 1945, Bonhoeffer remained a witness to the cost of discipleship until the end. His life exemplified faith not as theory but as action—a principle Cho sees as essential in confronting North Korea’s brutal repression.
Timothy Cho: Bearing Witness for Today
Cho’s own story includes four imprisonments, torture, and eventual escape from North Korea. Today, from the floor of the UK Parliament and international forums, he advocates for North Korean human rights with the persistence of Wilberforce and the moral urgency of Bonhoeffer.
North Korean escapee and Conservative U.K. politician Timothy Cho
Citing Scripture, Cho stresses two enduring calls: “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12) and “Overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). These words, he argues, are not only personal convictions but also universal imperatives in the struggle against tyranny.
History’s Echo in the Present
Slavery and Nazi totalitarianism were once considered immovable realities—until they collapsed. For Cho, North Korea’s system of repression is no different. He urges the international community not to remain silent but to act, inspired by the same moral courage that defined Wilberforce and Bonhoeffer.
“Freedom is never free,” Cho reminds audiences. “To overcome evil, we must stand together in faith and resolve. That is the path forward for the people of North Korea.”
※ This article was translated into English with the assistance of Google translation. If you find any errors, please contact the Freedom Chosun editorial team at clr9321@gmail.com