Contact: Erika Castle, 719-598-5869

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Mar. 17 /Christian Newswire/ -- Kim Sung Min, a former propaganda officer for the North Korean Army, is now fighting for the freedom and faith of his home country. Seoul USA, a ministry based in Colorado Springs, invites local residents to attend a banquet on April 2, 2009 to hear Mr. Kim's harrowing story of escape from North Korea and discover the hope he sees in the new Underground University.

Once a diehard socialist, Mr. Kim became disillusioned when he saw the lack of freedom and opportunity in North Korea while serving in the military. After defecting, being arrested and escaping again, Mr. Kim began spreading a new message of hope and liberty.

"Mr. Kim's eyes were opened to the modern-day Holocaust that was going on around him in North Korea, where Christianity is illegal and even failing to keep a portrait of Kim Jong-Il clean can mean being sent to a political prison camp" says H.S. Foley, Executive Director of Seoul USA. "Like thousands of other North Koreans, he defected to China. But his newfound Christian faith compelled him to spread that message of hope to his fellow North Koreans. So, he became a prominent freedom fighter and advocate for religious freedom for North Korea."

Mr. Kim founded Free North Korean Radio and now is leading another effort -- training North Korean exiles through Underground University to return to their homeland to serve and grow the North Korean church. Mr. Kim serves as Dean of Underground University in Seoul, South Korea -- a joint project of Seoul USA and The Voice of the Martyrs-Canada.

Mr. Kim will appear as the keynote speaker at the Seoul USA banquet on April 2, 2009 at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

"This banquet is a unique opportunity for the people of Colorado to hear the life-changing story of Mr. Kim, learn about the persecution of North Korean Christians, and get involved in a radical underground movement designed to change North Korea from the inside out," says Foley. "Everyone is invited to attend and bring family and friends."

Dinner will be provided at no cost, due to the generosity of Seoul USA sponsors. An offering will take place, and all proceeds will go directly to Underground University.

Individuals interested in attending the Seoul USA banquet can RSVP online at www.UndergroundU.org or call (719) 481-8599. Individuals in Canada can support this project at www.persecution.net/donation.htm.