North Korea: Christians killed
24 Jan 2013Open Doors has confirmed the death of two Christians in North Korea. According toOpen Doors the ministry one Christian was recently shot while he was on his way back to China for Bible training. The other died in one of North Korea's notorious labour camps. The first North Korean became interested in the Christian faith and after studying the Bible he became a believer. He eventually chose to return to North Korea. ‘He wanted to come back to China to study the Bible more' says an Open Doors worker. It is heartbreaking that he was killed’. The other Christian recently died in a labour camp. This man also studied the Bible in China. After eight months he decided to return to North Korea. According to Open Doors, he became a dedicated and faithful Christian. However, North Korean authorities found out about his secret faith and he was sent to labour camp.
Pray: for the nation of North Korea and for the believers there that God would protect them. (Ps.12:7)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.killed.in.north.korea/31491.htm
Christian groups are among the signatories of an open letter to the new North Korean leader appealing for an end to human rights abuses in the country. 24.5 million people in North Korea are ‘living in fear’ of arbitrary detention, disappearance, torture or death. The groups condemn the detention of 200,000 men, women and children for political reasons in prison or labour camps; asking for an end to the incarceration of relatives of political prisoners because of ‘guilt by association’. They condemn the political elite for living ‘like royalty’ while millions suffer widespread hunger, malnutrition and a lack of healthcare. President of ‘Open North Korea’ said, ‘Kim Jong-un should look to his legacy. He has the opportunity to be remembered as the leader who restored freedom to the people of North Korea.’
Pray: North Korea would meet its obligations under international treaties, and grant access to human rights monitors from the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. (Ps.45:23-26)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/christians.back.human.rights.plea.to.kim.jongun/29141.htm
The number of Christians in North Korea is unknown. They either hide their faith or face terrible consequences. People have been executed for owning a Bible. Many Christians are sent to concentration camps as ‘political prisoners’ and subjected to torture, abuse, execution or simply worked to death. A reliable source reports that ‘the new young leader Kin Jong Un views the underground Christian church as a source of resistance to his untested leadership, and is repressing Christians even more severely than his father. Another source reports, ‘10% of North Korean Christians who escape to South Korea and return to China to work in Christian ministry are kidnapped from China by underground North Korean State Security and taken to North Korea, tortured for information, and killed.’
Pray: for protection and endurance for the brave underground church living under these extreme conditions, for God to have mercy on Kim Jong Un and change his heart towards defectors in their bid for freedom of speech and beliefs. (Ps.3:8)
More: http://www.releaseinternational.org/media/download_gallery/RELEASE%20MAG%2071%20linked.pdf
North Korea: Call to end Christian persecution
11 Aug 2011An interim petition calling for religious freedom in North Korea has over 20,000 signatures from the UK. Release International presented the petition to the North Korean embassy in London last week demanding freedom of worship to Christians, who face regular harassment and imprisoned for owning a Bible. Recent reports by human rights organisations accuse North Korea of putting 180,000 people into forced labour. There are reports that Christians face torture, starvation and execution in political prison camps. Release International support North Korean Christians who have fled their country by providing safe houses, pastoral support and health care. Those who’ve escaped describe these camps as 'hell on Earth’. Some risk being shot by border guards as they try to flee the country. Signatures are still being collected and the final petition to the North Korean embassy will be presented at the end of the campaign. See www.releaseinternational.org/petition
Pray: for millions to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves and for their voices to be heard and acted upon. (Pr.31:8,9)
More: http://www.releaseinternational.org/pages/take-action/prisoners-of-faith.php
North Korea: 80 executed
16 Nov 2013North Korea has executed 80 people by firing squad for minor misdemeanours, the South Korean newspaper JoongAng Ilbo reported. The wrongdoings include watching television programmes from South Korea or possessing a Bible. The article says the coordinated executions were held in seven cities earlier in November. In Wonsan the local government gathered up 10,000 people, including children, and forced them to watch people tied to stakes being machine gunned to death. Relatives and friends of the victims were also reportedly sent to prison camps. They were executed in Wonsan, Chongjin, Sariwon and Pyongsong, but none in Pyongyang, the capital. Most were charged with watching or illegally trafficking South Korean videos, prostitution, or possessing a Bible. Simultaneous executions across the country could suggest an extreme measure by Mr Kim’s regime to quell public unrest. The common theme of the persecution was crimes related to South Korea or corruption of public morals.
Pray: for democracy to reach the most undemocratic and totalitarian state in existence. Pray for justice where the world's worst human rights crimes are committed. (2Thes.2:8)
More: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/nov/12/80-people-publicly-executed-across-n-korea-films-b/
North Korea: 24th – 30th April Prayer
16 Apr 2011
The letters Open Doors is receiving from North Korean secret church leaders paint a very grey image. Imagine yourself a Christian believer living in a barren land that is silent; no church, no freedom to share your faith, no Bible, and no contact with other Christians. Alone! Is God still here? Does He hear my cries? Why is God silent? Has He forgotten us?’ North Korean Christians deal with this reality.’ Open Doors helps Christians with their most basic needs to keep alive, and are asking Christians around the world to pray for these secret believers and for our co-workers ministering to them in the coming week of intercession. Pray: for North Korean Christians as they trust every promise of God to be their shield and refuge. (Pr.30:5) More: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/pray/North-Korea-Freedom-Week
North Korea executes underground church leaders
28 Aug 2010
North Korea has executed three leaders of the underground church and jailed 20 other Christians, reports a news agency focused on Asia.Although the execution and imprisonment happened in mid-May, news only got out this month. According to AsiaNews, North Korean police raided a house in Kuwal-dong in Pyungsung county, Pyongan province, and arrested all 23 believers who were gathered there for religious activity. The leaders were sentenced to death and soon after executed. The other 20 were reportedly sent to the infamous prison labour camp No 15 in Yodok. The 23 Christians had come to faith after some of them travelled to China on business and met with church members there. North Korea Intellectual Solidarity, a group of North Korean defectors based in Seoul that seeks to raise awareness about injustice in North Korea, confirmed the events. Pray: for the estimated 400,000 Christians in North Korea who live under the constant threat of imprisonment, torture or public execution if authorities discover their Christian faith. may they have opportunities to meet together and provide encouragement to one another. (PS.62:2) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/north.korea.executes.underground.church.leaders/26540.htm
North Korea
29 Apr 2011
North Korea is considered the world's most repressive nation. Christians are seen as refusing to accept the supreme authority of the late Kim Il Sung, North Korea's first leader, and his son, Kim Jong Il. Please pray for Christians in North Korea who can be killed simply for owning a Bible. All Christian meetings, Christian literature and Bibles are banned so believers are forced to meet in secret. Ask God to protect North Korea's underground church and raise up strong leaders. Many Christians have been sent to death camps as political prisoners and subjected to brutal treatment in appalling conditions. Please pray for Christians in detention asking God to help them to endure and share Christ's love with their fellow inmates. Before the Communists came to power, there were 300,000 Christians in North Korea and the capital Pyongyang was known as 'Asia's Jerusalem'.
Pray: for revival to break out once again in the so-called 'hermit kingdom'. (Eph.2:22)
More: http://www.releaseinternational.org/javascript/prayers.htm