New North Korean leader more oppressive, says Christians

North Korea's new leader Kim Jong-un 

North Korea (MNN/CAM) ― The uncertainty surrounding North Korea's new leader Kim Jong-un is less uncertain now. According to Christian Aid Mission, the grandson of Kim Il Sung is making life difficult for Christians, which is far different than 100 years ago.

In the early 1900s, Pyongyang was referred to as the "Jerusalem of the East." Christianity had taken root in the capital of present-day North Korea, and some 3,000 churches were established and growing.

A century later, the spiritual landscape is far different. North Korea, also known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is considered to be the world's most hostile nation to Christianity.

Persecution of Christians began in 1910 when Japan seized control of the Korean peninsula and worsened with the rise to power of Kim Il Sung's Communist regime at the end of World War II. The oppressive dynasty continued with his son, and more recently with his grandson, Kim Jong-un.

"The North Korean people feel that Kim Jong-un is making life even harder for Christians than his father and grandfather did," reports one of Christian Aid's missionary contacts who works in the country.

Today there are an estimated 100,000 to 400,000 Christians in North Korea. Despite ever-present dangers of imprisonment, brutality, and death, faithful followers of Jesus Christ remain committed to sharing the gospel in the midst of very difficult circumstances.

"Mr. E" leads three underground churches in North Korea, with a total of 87 members. He became a Christian in 2006. The following year he was arrested by the police and charged with espionage for helping North Korean refugees escape across the border into China. The penalty for his crime against the government: 18 years in prison.

Another underground church leader provided money to help Mr. E, and his sentence was reduced to five years. He was released and returned home to his family in 2012.

At the time of his arrest, however, Mr. E's home was confiscated by the government. He currently lives in his mother's one-room house with seven people. His desire is to have a house with a large room so he can have the space to host house church meetings.

Mr. E already is seeing the fruits of his labors as the network of believers and house churches increases. He travels about 80 miles to lead worship services and meetings.

"He is now fully active and more energetic in the ministry," said the missionary contact. "He has become a good partner in planting underground home churches."

Christian ministry leaders in North Korea are encouraged as God's love shines forth, bringing light to the darkness and transforming hearts. Whatever the political situation, they can experience spiritual freedom through the redeeming power of Jesus Christ.

Prayer requests:
• For Mr. E to have a motorcycle so he can travel more easily to his circuit of underground churches.
• For wise, Spirit-filled, bold missionaries, and the rapid expansion of underground churches and networks.
• For spiritual encouragement for believers who are enduring extremely harsh prison conditions.
• For a wide dissemination of Bibles. Pray that believers will have a clear understanding of God's Word.
• For Christians to know how to work within the North Korea system to evangelize, build up believers, and plant churches.
• Though missionaries and Christians know a lot about being secretive and avoiding arrest, ultimately they need God's protection from the authorities. Pray that they will be able to minister undetected.

North Korean leaders shaping new leader's image

(Images courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA)

North Korea (MNN) ― North Korea's new leader has been photographed smiling. He has a wife. He even rode a roller coaster. Don't be fooled, says Voice of the Martyrs USA spokesman Todd Nettleton. 

"Photographically, he is drawing comparisons--not to his father, Kim Jong Il, but to his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea."

What's happening in North Korea is cultivation of an image. "He's doing that in his hair style, he's doing that in his clothing. For us, looking on from the outside, we don't necessarily think that immediately; but to the people of North Korea who ultimately are his audience, they would see that instantly."

A modern face to go with modern ideas? According to contacts working with the Voice of the Martyrs, it's pretty much the opposite. Nettleton explains the connection being made. "This is Kim Il Sung's grandson. This is the founder of our country coming back and taking control and leading us to prosperity and greatness."

The reality is: North Korea faces even more than usual food shortages when drought was followed by devastating floods. Without China's help, mass starvation is likely. Yet, that has done little to challenge the ideology that has shrouded North Korea in secrecy. Nettleton explains "The government is built on the idea of 'juche,' which is their word for 'self-reliance' and really, it is a religious system that is designed to deify the leaders."

The other thing to remember is that the people behind the scenes have not changed. The generals who installed Kim Jong Un as leader are still controlling the strings. Promises of reform are misleading, at best.

Nettleton doesn't think much will change for Christians, either. "When you say 'I'm a Christian,' it's not just the wrong religion: you're really undermining the government. It's really a treasonous thing to say 'I'm not following juche. I'm not worshiping our leaders. I'm following Jesus Christ.'"

Already the most hostile country in which to live and practice the Christian faith, there are still reports of Christians being arrested. According to Open Doors, it's thought that at least a quarter of the nation's believers are languishing in labor camps for their refusal to worship founder Kim Il-Sung's cult.

Anyone with "another god" is automatically persecuted, which is why the 200,000-400,000 Christians in this country must remain deeply underground. Traditional discipleship and evangelism methods do not exist in the totalitarian regime.

However, Nettleton says they've found other creative ways to float the Gospel into North Korea...literally. "We have been sending balloons into North Korea for decades. It's based on some of the technology developed for weather balloons. We can now actually attach a full New Testament to a balloon to float it across into North Korea."

Although many crews pick up the balloons and dispose of the literature, Nettleton says it's still working. "We are hearing stories of these balloons and these New Testaments reaching people and changing lives." Keep praying that the seeds of God's Word will be planted deeply and take root. 

Helping hand, safe houses give hope in North Korea

(Photo courtesy Open Doors)

North Korea (ODM/MNN) ―For the past decade, North Korea has been the world's most hostile country in which to live and practice the Christian faith.

Open Doors USA notes that nearly a quarter of the Christians in the country are believed to be serving out sentences in labor camps. By the end of his life, Kim Il-Sung saw himself as a deity, setting into motion a cult following under his sons. Those who did not participate were killed or sent for re-education in the labor camps.

Meanwhile, poverty is the reality the rest of the country bears. Roughly ten million inhabitants are malnourished, with thousands eating only grass and bark.

According to Open Doors, half the population lives in the north, close to China, where family-based networks of house churches exist in significant numbers. Last year, Open Doors distributed over 45,000 pieces of Christian materials in North Korea and secretly trained approximately 5,000 North Korean believers.

In addition, around 1,000 refugees and their families received help through Open Doors' safe houses across the border in China. Many North Koreans caught crossing the borders into China are returned, likely to face death sentences or worse--the punishment of family members down to the third generation.

That's where safe houses come into play. Open Doors can now provide over 1,500 North Korean refugees safe haven. Those who successfully cross can find safety, medical attention, food, and most importantly: spiritual nourishment.

What's more, Open Doors says that because not everyone escaping from North Korea is a Christian, their ministry partners can share the Gospel with hundreds of people. 

As more people began fleeing North Korea, the need for more safe houses became clear. Open Doors asked for help raising $66,000 for new safe houses to meet the growing demand. The good news is that they not only met that goal, but exceeded it.  

This additional amount allows Open Doors to move quickly, providing Bibles, training, advocacy, and other support where Christians need it most.

North Korea trades launch for lunch

Cover photo by Babel Travel. Story
photo courtesy Open Doors USA

North Korea (MNN) ― The Pentagon says the U.S. has suspended food aid to North Korea over undeterred plans to launch a rocket.

The reclusive country claims it is launching a weather satellite, but South Korea fears the launch is a disguised ballistic missile test.  

The loss of food aid complicates an already desperate situation for the average citizen in North Korea. A UNICEF assessment in January concluded that 80% of the children in North Korea are malnourished. The country faces its worst food shortage in a decade, with six million people at risk.

Government food rations for some have been cut to a tenth of what is needed to keep people alive. It's against that backdrop that word has leaked out about continued preparations for the annual "Day of the Sun" celebrations, a move that President and CEO of Open Doors USA Carl Moeller finds troubling.

He says, "We've come to expect horrible things from the North Korean government, but the fact that the super elite of this country continue to bask in luxury and wealth while the vast majority of the country suffers horrible poverty and starvation is a situation that almost defies imagination." 

An unnamed Open Doors partner shared the government spin: "Glorify this year 2012 as a year of proud victory, a year when an era of prosperity is unfolding, true to the instructions of the great General Kim Jong-Il."

It was this New Year's message that ushered in Kim Jong-Un's regime in 2012. The peak of planned festivities will take place on April 15th, the 100th birth anniversary of Kim Il-Sung. The preparations for the celebrations have already caused much suffering for the people--and the end is not in sight. Moeller says scrutiny is especially close now. "I think it's important for people to realize that about 1% of the population of North Korea actually is in a labor camp right now, which is a staggering figure if you think about that in terms of what those labor camps mean. I can't picture anything other than just a charade of horror with these people being forced to celebrate the birth of this horrible dictator."

To the outside world, the picture will be one of prosperity, color, and a vibrant new leader for the Republic. The "Arirang" mass performances will be bigger than usual. They're designed for two purposes: to impress the world and to give honor to (or even worship) the leaders. No doubt, there will be a large emphasis on the glorification of Kim Jong-Un, who assumed power after his father Kim Jong-Il died in December.

The celebrations will not only take place in Pyongyang, but throughout the country citizens have to participate in events to commemorate the leaders. Those events vary from playing games to local dance performances.  

North Korea also announced that people could expect a "generous gift from the Respected Comrade Kim Jong-Un."

Another celebration will be  the 4th Party Conference, which is scheduled to be held in mid-April. Kim Jong-Un will most likely receive some new, important positions in the state apparatus.

Celebrating the anniversary and the "state's progress" is mandatory. Aside from the normal cleanup, households have to contribute 20,000 won for the state's "total mobilization period." The average worker receives a monthly salary of only 2,000 won. A US dollar, on the black market in North Korea, is worth 5,300 won.

The funds will likely go to the feasts and celebrations at the highest levels of society, with the poor receiving little more than an extra food ration. Moeller says, "I shudder to think what the impact of the celebration is going to do economically for the country as this money is literally going to be wasted."  

As preparations reach a fevered pitch, one church leader writes: "It is very difficult to speak our minds, even to our friends and family. There is a good chance we will be arrested if we speak freely."

The North Korean Church deeply appreciates the prayer of their foreign brothers and sisters during these very difficult weeks. Moeller says they're encouraging a show of solidarity. "We're calling on Christians in the West to have a day of fasting and prayer on April 15. That is the day that this Day of the Sun is going to take place. It's really important for us as Christians to show our solidarity with the believers in that country by praying for them and taking a day off of food for remembrance of the suffering of the Korean people."

Out of the bleakness comes hope. Despite the scrutiny and the increasing volatility of the government, Moeller says the Gospel is still reaching people. "We have had great reports from coworkers who are talking about the remaining hunger, the passion of the Christians in that country--the passion for spiritual sustenance."

That, he notes, is the paradox of Christ. "We know that the church is growing in North Korea. We also know that it's horribly persecuted. Persecution is actually an indicator that the church is growing and that the church is growing is going to inevitably produce persecution."

We'll keep you updated about how you can participate in the April 15 vigil. For now, check our Featured Links section for more on Open Doors.