FSI co-founders Casey Lartigue, left, and Eunkoo Lee do paperwork at the FSI office. Courtesy of FSI

Elections have consequences. The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is the latest U.S. government agency on the Trump-Musk chopping block. If it gets shut down or its operations get dismantled so that it exists in name only, then it will have an impact on many North Korean refugee and North Korea-focused organizations that currently receive support from NED and affiliated government entities.

Elon Musk has made it clear that he believes NED should be eliminated, calling it “rife with corruption” and labeling it an “evil organization” that “needs to be dissolved.”

The Trump administration has already taken steps to halt funding for numerous U.S. government programs and agencies, most notably USAID. This funding freeze has sent shockwaves throughout nonprofits around the world.

Less notable than USAID, has been the shut down of NED which informed organizations that depend on its financial support that it will cease payments to them immediately because it can’t access its congressional funding. “Once you run out of money, consider your agreement with our organization suspended,” NED said in the statement. As NPR reported, NED could no longer access funds via the Treasury Department. It has furloughed staff and suspended grants to about........

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