Jolie was in Seoul, South Korea, today to promote her latest action thriller, Salt, which opens with a scene that takes place in a North Korean prison.
That's not her only connection with the Korean Peninsula, of course. The actress and humanitarian is deeply worried about the people of North Korea.
The persecution defectors face when repatriated to the rogue state appalled Jolie, a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Seoul-based officials from the U.N. refugee agency brought the star up to date on the current state of affairs there, and she was naturally appalled.
GOODWILL AMBASSADOR: Angelina Jolie is Salt. And awesome.
“They spoke a lot about the concerns about people being persecuted when they are sent back,” she said. “I’m very concerned about the people.”
Tens of thousands of people from impoverished North Korea have migrated to neighboring China in recent years, activists say, but it's very risky.
Many are sent back due to an agreement between North Korea and China. Some 19,000 have made it to South Korea, where they are protected.
“I learned today about them gaining citizenship and crossing into South Korea,” Angelina Jolie, who was also promoting her movie, told reporters.
“The UNHCR practices quiet diplomacy in which they do more than they talk about.”
As always, kudos to Angelina for using her high-profile status to bring attention to issues and people who truly need it. She sets a great example.
