About Crossing Borders
What we do
We restore the broken lives of North Koreans through the love of Jesus Christ.
Crossing Borders offers North Korean refugees and their children opportunities to thrive by providing physical care, emotional healing and spiritual guidance in a safe community.
We believe that the gospel alone gives lasting hope, peace and abundant life.
EST. 2003
Crossing Borders was established in 2003 by several Christians of Korean and Chinese descent who felt a burden for the North Korean people during a time of severe famine and starvation. During and following the Great North Korean Famine from 1995 to 1998, there has been a large exodus of refugees from the country.
Abuse of North Korean refugees in China is rampant as they are labeled illegal economic migrants. North Koreans in hiding in China have no human rights or legal protection. There are no laws protecting North Koreans from exploitation, trafficking, or even murder. Chinese authorities actively seek out vulnerable North Korean refugees to be repatriated and sent to labor camps where they will face execution. It is believed that there are currently 200,000 North Korean refugees in China. Approximately 70 percent of these refugees are women, and 80 percent of these women are trafficked through black markets for North Korean brides.
The mission of Crossing Borders is to show the compassion of Christ to North Koreans and their children.
Crossing Borders is a Christian, faith-based 501(c)3 non-profit that offers assistance to North Korean refugees and their children whether or not they accept the same religious beliefs.
Meet the Crossing Borders DIrectors
Dan Chung
Executive Director, Co-Founder
Dan was part of Crossing Borders original team and served as a volunteer for nine years. He became Executive Director in 2012. Dan helped to develop Crossing Borders into the non-profit it is today, making it capable of providing the funding and manpower to execute work in China and South Korea.
In addition to having been on the field with North Korean refugees personally, Dan is one of the foremost experts on the North Korean refugee crisis, with relationships with both organizations and scholars researching the ongoing developments of the Korean Peninsula. Dan’s book, A Hard Freedom: The Dreams and Trauma of North Korean Refugees, chronicles his insights and observations in his work with Crossing Borders.
When Dan isn’t working, he loves spending time with his wife, Betty, and their three children, he enjoys playing guitar at his church, and he loves to cook for his family.
Mike Kim
Founder, Board Member Emeritus
Mike founded Crossing Borders when on New Year's Day 2003, he walked away from his financial planning career in Chicago and boarded a one-way flight to China with little more than two duffle bags. While living undercover near the border for four years, he operated as a student of North Korean Taekwondo. He trained under masters from Pyongyang and eventually earned a second-degree black belt while secretly supporting refugees fleeing the regime.
He is the author of the Wall Street Journal featured book Escaping North Korea, a current events memoir documenting his years at the China-North Korea border. A frequent voice in global media, Mike has appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, CNN Anderson Cooper 360, and Fox News with Bill Hemmer.
Mike continues to stay close to Crossing Borders as an advisor and donor. He and Dan remain close friends that met in their university church. Mike is thrilled to see the organization growing under Dan's leadership.
The other members of our board cannot publicly identify themselves due to security concerns.
Crossing Borders’ Story
Crossing Borders did not start with any fanfare. It did not have the backing of many people. It wasn’t even an official organization for an entire year. It was simply two college roommates who had no idea what a North Korean refugee was. Mike Kim went on a trip to China in 2001 to explore what was happening in the Underground Church. He was expecting to find people who were genuine about their faith. He was prepared to see hushed worship services happening despite intense persecution. What he did not expect to find was North Korean refugees.
Mike flew back to America rattled by what he saw and heard. When he told his friend Dan Chung, a new determination was born. Crossing Borders rallied around a simple statement: “We have to do something.” Dan and Mike began to meet regularly. Others joined them. On January 1, 2003, Mike packed his bags and headed out to China. This is what Crossing Borders considers its official start date.
Since this time, Crossing Borders has gone on to help thousands of North Korean refugees and orphans. Since its founding in 2003, Crossing Borders has developed and transformed with the shifting political and societal circumstances in Northeast China. And most recently, Elim House, a shelter for abused North Korean women was launched in South Korea. We pray that many North Korean defectors will find comfort and healing there.
