With everything from the fear of deadly snakes to alleged executions by anti-aircraft gun, it’s understandable why many North Koreans desire to flee the Hermit Kingdom. What’s interesting to note, however, is the economic class of defectors that have found their way out of North Korea. According to a survey from the Korean Unification Ministry, the percentage of defectors from the “middle-class” rose from 19% in 2001 to 55.9% after 2014. The increase stems from the fact that more defectors from higher statuses in the North possess the resources to escape, said the Unification Ministry.

So far this year, 894 North Koreans have escaped the country, compared to the 777 in the previous year during the same period. The Unification Ministry claims that this 15% increase is on track to bring the total amount of defectors to 30,000 by the end of the year.

Although the reasons to cross the border, or in some exceptional cases remain away from, are numerous, it’s noteworthy that one of their highly publicized punishments in North Korea seems to have decreased: North Korea leader Kim Jong Un is estimated to have executed about 130 officials in the 5 years he’s been in power, while Kim Jong Il, his father, had put to death over 2,000 officials in a 6 year span.

The latest high-profile defection comes from Thae Yong-Ho, North Korea’s deputy ambassador to London, who has since been accused by his former country of leaking state secrets, embezzlement, and child rape. As one of the highest-ranking North Korean officials to have defected, it wouldn’t be far fetched to believe that others will eventually follow suit.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/north-koreans-defecting-country-droves-204847404.html

Praying for the liberation of North Korea at the DMZ in July

United in one voice of prayer, hundreds of delegates from over 30 nations across the globe lighted up candles, as a symbol of the light of Jesus within each and every soul surrendered, to intercede even for the darkest corners of the world. 

With the numerous pressing issues, chaos, and calamities that are happening around the world, darkness seems to prevail. We are the Davids that has slain the giant of darkness, division, and despair. We are the light of which the darkness is afraid of. We are to let this light shine on the darkest valleys. 

Bound in Christ's love and united in spirit, our light shines brighter and brighter day by day.

#UnitedPrayerRising #UPRISING2016KOREA

Let’s continue to pray for His light to flow into North Korea. Ask for regime change and that the oppression of the North Korean people will come to an end. Pray for the protection of those there seeking to bring revolution and reform and that they will be successful.

Pope Francis has decried the bombing of Aleppo in Syria, saying those responsible for killing civilians will have to answer to God.

Speaking at a public audience in St Peter's Square in Rome, he called it "an already martyred city, where everybody is dying".

Russian-backed Syrian government forces have launched a fierce campaign to take control of rebel-held eastern areas.

Air strikes continued to hit the besieged districts overnight.

Pope Francis urged all sides to "commit themselves with all their strength to protect civilians".

"This is an imperative and urgent obligation. I appeal to the consciences of those responsible for the bombings, who will one day will have to account to God," he said.

(Links for moreinformation)

• Why are so many children dying in Aleppo?
• Why Assad wants to take Aleppo
• Attacks on Syria's aid workers are 'unconscionable'
• Children suffer horrors of Syria's war

Reports citing medical workers say that two major hospitals in rebel-held eastern Aleppo were put out of service by air raids overnight.

But one activist in the city tells the BBC that the hospitals still appear to be operational.

In the past few days, pro-government forces have begun ground operations to try to recapture more territory from rebel forces. They have made advances in the city centre, reports say.

The government of President Bashar al-Assad and its Russian backers have been accused of war crimes and "barbarism" by the US and its Western allies, who back the rebels.

Moscow has vigorously denied the allegations and criticised their "unacceptable" rhetoric.

Separately, fresh allegations of chemical weapons use on the part of Syrian government have been made by the New York-based group Human Rights Watch.

It said that Syrian government helicopters appeared to have used chemical weapons in two incidents in Aleppo on 10 August and 6 September that killed five people, including two children.

"After each attack, dozens of people suffering from a shortage of breath, coughing, reddened skin and eyes, and excessive tearing sought medical treatment in hospitals," the group said.

Syrian rebels have been supplied with a new type of surface-to-surface Grad rocket by their foreign backers to help defend against the current offensive, a rebel commander told the Reuters news agency.

The rockets, supplied "in excellent quantities", will be used in Aleppo, Hama and the Mediterranean coastal region, Fares al-Baoush said.

It was not clear which foreign states supplied the rockets.

Aleppo, once Syria's largest city and the country's commercial and industrial hub, has been divided roughly in two since 2012, with President Bashar al-Assad's forces controlling the west and rebel factions the east.

In the past year, government troops have gradually broken the deadlock with the help of Iranian-backed militias and Russian air strikes. Earlier this month, they severed the rebels' last route into the east and placed its 250,000 residents under siege.

Children in Aleppo have made up a large proportion of casualties from air strikes, according to aid groups. At least 100,000 children remain trapped in the eastern part of the city. (italics ours)

In the government-held west, 49 children were killed by rebel shelling in July alone, the New York Times reports, citing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

On Tuesday, the US pledged to provide an extra $364m (£276m) in humanitarian aid to people affected by the Syrian war.

The World Health Organization meanwhile called for the "immediate establishment of humanitarian routes" into Aleppo, where hospitals are running out of supplies and rubble-strewn streets are preventing ambulances from getting through.

BBC.com, September 28, 2016

Syria needs God’s breakthrough. Through the IPC and other efforts over the last 20 plus years, we have seen eight wars stopped, often suddenly, by the united prayer of God’s people. Let's pray with all our hearts in faith for the shattered ceasefire to be reenacted and to lead to a real peace agreement. Pray that President Assad and leaders of the various rebel factions will agree to end this endlessly destructive conflict for Aleppo and other war-torn areas in order to bring healing and restoration to their suffering people and land. Pray that the flow of urgently needed humanitarian supplies would not be impeded by either side in the conflict. Many civilians and children have died needlessly, pray for their protection and escape from war zones and the fighting. Pray also for those who follow Jesus in the midst of it all that they will be strengthened and know how to "stand in the gap" from the inside. With God, "all things are possible" so let’s pray that peace will break through soon!