Valerie Johnson is a first-year master’s student at Lund University in Sweden, seeking a degree in Human Rights Studies. She particularly focuses on human rights access, international development policy, and good governance. Her interest in the East Asian region was sparked by teaching English in South Korea for nearly three years. This experience offered her a firsthand understanding of the complexities of inter-Korean relations and motivated her to pursue graduate studies in human rights.

In her academic work, Valerie explores issues affecting marginalized communities, with a particular interest in the rights and conditions of sexual minorities, incarcerated youth, and disabled individuals in North Korea. This research interest will likely shape her master’s thesis in the following academic year. Valerie’s internship at HRNK marks a strategic step toward immersing herself in the critical study of human rights issues in North Korea, with the aim of contributing to research that aims to enhance access to human rights. She is committed to advocating for strategies and interventions that address the urgent human rights challenges facing marginalized communities in East Asia and beyond.

In the long term, as a researcher and advocate, Valerie aspires to amplify the voices and stories of the North Korean people, fostering a deeper global understanding and humanizing the narrative surrounding their lives.