SAN FRANCISCO – A North Korea ‘hackathon’ begun in San Francisco early Saturday, with defectors and human rights activists from South Korea kicking off the two-day event with presentations about the DPRK information environment.

Defector and democracy activist Park Sang Hak, who conducts balloon drops across the DMZ, was joined by technology smuggler Choi Song Il and Park Yeon Mi, a young female defector known for her regular appearances on South Korean television.

“Our work is to try and break through the North Korea iron curtain. With your help we’ll be able to achieve this,” North Korea Strategy Center speaker Choi said, whose organization