Tour de North Korea arrives in Paris

A bicicyle tour being followed by Korean News called the Tour de North Korea is expected to arrive in Paris on Friday, July 11th.

The purpose of the tour is to bring attention to the plight of North Korean refugees who have tried to escape the ravages of widespread famine. The Tour arrives in Paris just days before President Sarkozy will be honoring South Korean president at the Bastille Day ceremonies next Monday, July 14, 2008.

North Korean refugees who succeed in leaving their country do so at great risk. If the receiving country returns them to North Korea, they risk imprisonment for life. The Tour de North Korea is expected to pass in front of the Chinese Embassy in Paris. (China, sharing a border with North Korea experiences a large proportion of the illegal border crossings).