Around 100 years ago, North Korea was a Christian nation;
Pyongyang, the capital, was called 'The Jerusalem of the East'.
According to Open Doors, the 2,300 Christian churches and 300,000
believers disappeared in only a short time under dictator Kim Il
Sung. Today, Pyongyang is the Babylon of a modern Nebuchadnezzar,
Kim Jong Il, who dominates all aspects of society and the lives of
all his subjects. No other nation persecutes Christians as brutally
as North Korea. Some 25 huge prison camps symbolize the regime of
terror, housing 200,000 'political' prisoners. Even the slightest
criticism of the regime result in imprisonment in brutal
conditions. The prisoners are forced to work up to 18 hours each
day, and produce 40% of the nations gross national product. Much of
the produce, such as tablecloths, vases, artificial flowers and
textiles are exported to Western Europe.
However, there are signs of change. A growing number of
Christians are praying for North Korea, bringing more of the
regime's dark side under global scrutiny. There are also
increasingly reports that Kim Jong Il's power is waning. At the
same time, the regime is obviously well aware of the power of God's
Word, as indicated by the confidential documents obtained by a
Japanese newspaper, which document the role of Christianity in the
fall of Communism in Eastern Europe.
Christianity in the Land of Spies
The strict social controls make it almost impossible for
Christians to keep their faith secret. Every third person is a spy,
so many flee. Several hundred thousand people have crossed the
river border between North Korea and China, but most are deported
back to the nation they fled. Some 100,000 managed to escape, of
which two thirds became Christians. Newly-saved refugees often
return to North Korea, despite the dangers, filled with the desire
to spread the Gospel. "The life God has given us will not end in
prison camps or starvation, but last forever. We have nothing to
lose. If we die, we will be with Christ." Open Doors is currently
orchestrating a prayer campaign for North Korea, and are seeking
1008 intercessors for a round-the-clock prayer watch. Soon Ok Lee,
who spent 7 years in North Korean labour camps, recently published
the book "Eyes of the Tailless Animals". Despite the repression,
the underground church is growing, according to the Open Doors
report.
Source: Offene Grenzen (Open Doors), fax (+49) 6195 676720
