At its Washington office Thursday, Sandy Rios initiated a preliminary meeting for the "North Korea Freedom Coalition," which religious and human rights groups are now preparing to form. Her women's group, with more than a half-million members, would form a substantial part of it.

Rios, who visited the North two years ago, told the press that God had put North Koreans in the hearts of her and members of her group; she said they would do everything they could to improve the liberty of North Koreans.

When the September 2001 terrorist attacks occurred, Rios was in North Korea with representatives of American religious groups. During their two-day visit, the group toured schools and stayed at a hotel. She said she felt like the government was showing her a Hollywood set. Still, she could see the "misery behind the sugarcoated surface."

Rios also had a chance to witness the sufferings of North Korean refugees in Manchuria. "I thought I had to do what I could to help them," she said. "I couldn't do everything, I thought, but how could I do nothing?"

Rios's first task is to attract as much participation to the North Korea Freedom Coalition as possible. Representatives of 13 groups attended the first preparatory meeting Thursday, and she thinks more will join when the group is formally established end of July.

What's more urgent, she said, is encouraging members from her women's group, who usually campaign for family values and controlling pornography, to learn more about the lack of human rights in the North. The group has about 900 active leaders, and they will be the core force to help North Koreans, she said.

While she said she wants to do many things for North Koreans, Rios declined to outline any specific plans, saying only that she wanted to make sure that what she does makes a difference. (Joo Yong-jung, midway@chosun.com )