NORTH KOREA INFO & ACTION GUIDE STAND WITH THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "NORTH KOREA INFO & ACTION GUIDE STAND WITH THE PERSECUTED CHURCH"

Baldwin Brooks
6 years ago
Views:

1 NORTH KOREA INFO & ACTION GUIDE STAND WITH THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

2 North Korea: Info & Action Guide INTRODUCTION Welcome and thank you for downloading the North Korea Info & Action Guide from Open Doors. Open Doors is on the ground in more than 60 countries to meet the rising tide of Christian persecution. We believe it s in the DNA of every believer to care for suffering Christians in places like North Korea and all over the world. And we invite you to join us. We prepared this guide to help you do two things: 1) Dig deep into the country and culture of North Korea. 2) Take action both in prayer and advocacy for the underground church in North Korea. Our founder Brother Andrew once said, "The bigger the darkness, the easier it is to spot your little light." In North Korea, this quote has great significance. Through our prayers and support, we're empowering little lights to shine brightly in the darkness. And right now, as the world's attention is drawn toward international relations with North Korea, the light is more important than ever.

3 North Korea A COUNTRY IN ISOLATION The world knows North Korea is the most closed country in the world. The news is filled with headlines about the so-called hermit kingdom a land ruled by a series of brutal dictators, a country that threatens the entire world with their nuclear arsenal, an unpredictable world leader who has stymied multiple U.S. administrations. Currently ruled by Kim Jung Un, North Korea also has one of the darkest human rights records in the modern era. For Christians, daily life is a struggle believers are forced to worship underground, with only several state churches which are not real churches, from most reports available for public worship. If caught, Christians can be arrested and imprisoned. There are tens of

4 thousands of Christians in prison or detention camps and restricted villages, many of whom are suffering under unthinkable conditions. According to a 2014 UN special report, the [North Korean] State considers the spread of Christianity a particularly serious threat and treats its adherents as such. Fact: North Korea is the most dangerous country in the world for Christians. For the 17th consecutive year, North Korea ranks No. 1 on the annual Open Doors World Watch List, a list documenting the countries in the world where it s most dangerous to be a Christian. The North Korean government classifies Christians as a hostile class even owning a Bible or participating in religious meetings are punishable by imprisonment, torture and at times death. According to the Open Doors Research Unit, around 300,000 Christians still live in North Korea, where they are viewed as hostiles who must ultimately be eradicated by the North Korean government. Often entire families are persecuted for the crime of one person becoming a Christian. Some have been rounded up and exiled to concentration camps for generations. Outside of the prison camps, Kim restricts every facet of social and religious life. He requires citizens to attend indoctrination meetings and to display and bow to portraits of himself and his ancestors. The shocking reality of North Korean prison camps. There are an estimated 50,000 Christians in prison and hard labor camps, reeducation camps, detention centers and exiled to mountain communities. A report by the International Bar Association War Committee offers chilling details from personal testimonies, video, transcripts and scholarly works about the state of North Korea s prison camps. Inside the camps, prisoners are often tortured and killed on account of their religious affiliation, with officials instructed to wipe out the seed of

5 [Christian] reactionaries. In one account, guards killed a prisoner s newborn baby by feeding it to the guard dogs. The report also explains the fact that routine public executions are carried out in front of both children and adults, designed to subdue the prison population. In another case, the prison guards executed starving prisoners found digging for edible plants on a mountainside. The lack of intellectual and religious freedom inside North Korea is staggering and hard for those of us in the West to even imagine. But it s real. And it s happening at this very moment.

6 North Korea A COUNTRY UNDER CONTROL Understanding North Korea means understanding its leadership. In its early years, from independence in 1945, the country followed the Communist path and faced an early war against UN troops in the Korean War from Soon after that, it became clear that North Korea would not be a Communist country led by a collective leadership, but rather by one person, Kim Il Sung. After his death in 1994, he was succeeded by his son Kim Jong Il, who was in turn succeeded after his death in 2011 by his son Kim Jong Un.

7 The country has two ideologies as its basis. One is called Juche which basically says that man is self-reliant. The other is Kimilsungism, the worship of the leaders who are the all-powerful entities guiding North Korea. The country wants to be taken seriously and it wants to be heard internationally, which is one of the reasons why, historically, its leaders strive to advance its rocket and nuclear technology to make the world aware of its continued existence. In recent times, these efforts have given Kim Jong Un the attention of world leaders. The country s religious landscape Religion in North Korea basically means the personality cult related to the leaders family. Everyone has to attend weekly information meetings and self-criticism sessions and memorize more than 100 pages of ideological learning materials, including documents, poems and songs which all praise the morals and majesty of the Kims. Even pre-school children become indoctrinated at an early stage. Approximately, 100,000 Juche research centers mostly comprising of one room reportedly exist throughout the country. There are still followers of Buddhism and Confucianism in the country, although worshipping the leaders in theory leaves no room for any other religion. However, these religions belong to the cultural mindset and are easier lived in secret without anyone noticing. Christianity, on the contrary, is seen as a dangerous foreign religion which has to be viciously fought against. Therefore, Christians have no room in North Korea and consequently must live their lives in utmost secrecy. Gathering in large groups is absolutely impossible for Christians; indeed it is lifethreatening to be even recognized as being a Christian. The country s political landscape Kim Jong Un has been demonstrating a different style of leadership from his father, and is trying to resemble his Hannah Cho North Korean Believer My mother only taught me one prayer. But I still pray it every day, for my family and for my country: Hanonim, Hanonim! Lord, Lord, please help! It is a prayer that has sustained Hannah Cho throughout unimaginable hardship in North Korea. In the nation where Christians experience the widest extent of persecution in the world, Hannah and her husband endured horrific torture for their faith in a labor camp, ultimately leading to his death. Two of her six children died young, and Hannah has spent years separated from her family, wondering if they are alive after fleeing to neighboring countries for safety. Still, despite trials of many kinds, her trust in Jesus steadfast love remains. Hannah is able to share her story because she now lives in relative freedom. But there are many others like her whose stories go untold as they languish in North Korean prison camps, starve for lack of food rations and endure hard labor for their faith in Jesus Christ.

8 grandfather more, by appearing more communicative and benevolent in public. However, this does not mean any change in ideology or leadership. Kim Jong Un has been proclaimed the Great Successor and given the titles Supreme Leader and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. More importantly, he holds central positions in all important powerhouses: party, state and army by holding the position of First Secretary of Korea s Workers Party. The assassination of Kim Jong Un s half-brother Kim Jong Nam in public at the airport in Kuala Lumpur in February 2017 shows the recklessness of the regime once it perceives itself as threatened. US American student Otto Warmbier s death after a surprise release and 14 months labor camp highlighted the dire situation of the country s camp system. The country s socio-economic landscape Influenced by Confucianism a Chinese ethical and philosophical system North Korea developed a social classification system which includes every citizen and keeps records in the Resident Registration File. This system, called Songbun, divides society into three classes: the core (28%), the wavering (45%) and the hostile class (27%). These categories

9 are further divided into 51 sub-classes. Christians and their descendants are recorded in the hostile class. North Korea faces a high potential for natural disasters since torrential rains, typhoons, flooding and storm surges occur annually. Soil erosion and sedimentation, landslides, droughts and dust and sand storms pose serious threats to life and livelihood in the country. UN reports continue to show that millions of North Korean people suffer from chronic food insecurity (to various degrees), high malnutrition rates and deep-rooted economic problems. Young children, pregnant and lactating women and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. The country needs international aid, which causes new problems as the regime restricts access to the citizens in need. On the other hand, a growing informal private sector with markets appears especially in the larger cities. People are getting increasingly used to this sort of trading, which at least in theory runs counter to the country s teachings. When it comes to protecting its ideology, North Korea does not care about international reputation or even diplomatic and economic fallout as with Malaysia (following the presumed assassination of Kim Jong Un s half-brother in Kuala Lumpur in February 2017), which had been one of the few nations on relatively good terms with the country. Also, the Warmbier case showed to a shocked world how dire the situation in North Korea s labor camps must be publicity that the country tries to avoid by all means.

North Korea A COUNTRY UNDER PRESSURE North Korea has been No.1 on the World Watch List since 2002 and remains at this position, with an increase of 2 points compared to WWL 2017.

10 North Korea A COUNTRY UNDER PRESSURE North Korea has been No.1 on the World Watch List since 2002 and remains at this position, with an increase of 2 points compared to WWL But this year it is very closely followed by Afghanistan at No.2. Although the situation for Christians in the two countries is very different, in terms of scoring they are very similar. As in previous years, Christians in North Korea face extreme levels of pressure in all spheres of life, combined with a very high level of violence directed against them. The increase in score for North Korea is partly due to the further increased government paranoia caused by the country s self-imposed isolation from the world, including from its most important neighbor, China. According to World Watch Research, persecution in North Korea is extremely high, intense and unchanging in the five spheres of live and violence.

The Persecution pattern shows: Overall, the pressure on Christians in North Korea increased over almost all Spheres of life, causing the average pressure to be at an extreme level.

11 The Persecution pattern shows: Overall, the pressure on Christians in North Korea increased over almost all Spheres of life, causing the average pressure to be at an extreme level. It rose from a score of 16.4 in World Watch List 2017 to the maximum possible score of All Spheres of life experience extreme pressure levels with maximum scores. This pattern reflects the reality of a state where Dictatorial paranoia is evident in every part of society. There is probably no other country on earth where the term paranoia fits better; it affects everything in North Korea. The violence score increased from 9.8 in World Watch List 2017 to 10.6 in World Watch List 2018, since not just homes of Christians have been raided, but also (road side) shops and businesses as well. There are two main engines for persecution in North Korea. Communist and post-communist oppression While in theory North Korea still is a Communist country, in practice a personality cult dominates. However, since the country is still run according to Communist administrative customs this is still indicated as the main persecution engine. The outcome of the 7th Congress of the Korea s Workers Party in May 2016 the first for 36 years did not change anything visibly, whether concerning economic or ideological issues. Christians not only continue to be seen as dangerous and their religion as opium for the people as in

12 classical Communist ideology but they are also part of the hostile class, according to the country s social stratification system called Songbun. Dictatorial paranoia Since 1948, North Korea has been ruled by a single family, now in the third generation. As mentioned above, while originally Communist ideology was followed, this has almost faded away in recent years, although the Communist style of controlling society lives on. North Korea is now a clear example of a country ruled by Dictatorial paranoia. Everyone has to revere the leadership and because of this personality cult, Kim Jong Un is an irreplaceable figure in society not least because he rules the Worker s Party, the army, the country s administration and all strands of society. Even though his power may not be as absolute as his father s or grandfather s, no one can challenge his authority. The god-like worship of the rulers leaves absolutely no room for any other religion and anyone daring to revere anything or anybody besides the Kim dynasty is seen as dangerous and a threat to the state. The country s political system based on Kimilsungism, the worship of the leaders, structures daily life for North Koreans and keeps them in line. Everyone has to attend weekly meetings where all citizens from every age are ideologically trained and indoctrinated. Attendance of selfcriticism sessions is mandatory. No one is allowed to develop deviating ideas, be they religious or other. The system of strict social control results in high self-censorship and self-control on what to say to whom, even in the most private and family relationships. There is a North Korean saying which illustrates the mindset of society well: "Wherever two or three are gathered together, one is a spy. Hae Woo North Korean Believer Hea Woo s life has been full of trauma. In 1997, in the midst of a great famine in North Korea, Hea Woo s daughter in her mid-twenties starved to death in her own home. Hae Woo s husband escaped to China and became a Christian, but sadly he was caught by the secret police and six months later died in a North Korean prison camp. It wasn t too long after this that Hea Woo herself escaped to China and became a Christian through a series of events similar to those that had influenced her husband s journey to faith. She was then caught by the secret police, repatriated to North Korea and placed in a prison camp. She shares about the horrors of life in these prisons: death so rampant that bodies would lay on the ground for three or four days without being cleaned up; mental and physical abuse that would make you sick in the pit of your stomach. Every day was torture. In one of the darkest places on earth, Hea Woo chose to do something so radical, and so dangerous, but so Christ-like. In this prison, God gave her a heart to tell her fellow prisoners about Jesus. And so, right there in the middle of a North Korean labor camp, a secret fellowship church began. *Hae Woo escaped North Korea and lives in safety today.

13 North Korea A COUNTRY IN NEED OF JESUS Estimates of the number of Christians vary from around 30,000 to several hundred thousand. Naturally, it is difficult to verify any figures due to the highly restrictive environment. Based on information from inside the country, Open Doors estimates a range between 200,000 and 400,000 Christians. Whatever statistics are used, all accounts show that the domestic Church is slowly but steadily growing. How did Christians get there? In 1603 a Korean diplomat returned from Beijing carrying several theological books

14 written by a Jesuit missionary to China. He began disseminating the information in the books and the first seeds of Christianity in its Roman Catholic form were sown. In 1758 King Yeongjo of Joseon officially outlawed Christianity as an evil practice and Korean Christians were subjected to severe persecution, particularly in 1801 and In this last wave approximately 8000 Catholics were killed across the whole of Korea. When the first Protestant missionaries settled permanently in northern Korea in 1886 they found a small community of Christians already there and a year later the first Bible was published in Korean. The annexation of Korea by Japan in 1905 (officially in 1910) unintentionally caused a great upsurge in the numbers of Christians and Christianity became linked with movements supporting Korean nationalism. In 1907 the Great Pyongyang Revival began and the capital became known as the Jerusalem of the East. Hundreds of churches sprang up and there were numerous revival meetings. Missionaries also set up educational institutions throughout the country. Under Japanese rule the Church was increasingly persecuted and Christians and other civilians were forced to bow before the altars of the emperor. After the Japanese defeat in World War II, Kim Il Sung came to power and imposed a communist (atheistic) regime. During the Korean War ( ) many Christians fled and after the war, tens of thousands of Christians were killed, imprisoned or banished to remote areas. The rest of the Church went underground. Today, all accounts show the underground church in North Korea is slowly but steadily growing even in the midst of severe persecution. But they need to know they are not alone. Here s a recent message we received from the underground church in North Korea: Our Lord, Jesus Christ conquered the death and resurrected to give the eternal life to those who believe in Him. We praise and worship our Heavenly Father who gave us His only son to save our lives. All glories to Him who is love and grace. Our North Korean underground church believers believe in the eternal life after this world with the suffering and persecution. We have new hope for the resurrection which make us not to give up or not to be frustrated on the rock with the strong faith in His Grace. We send the special thanks to the fellow workers and believers in foreign churches who supported us with their loving hands. Our North Korean underground church leaders pray for you that God may pour out His blessings and grace upon you.

15 PRAYER POINTS As people of prayer, we want to lean on God s Word and claim His promises. Open Doors Founder Brother Andrew reminds us that our prayers can go where we cannot there are no borders, no prison walls, no doors that are closed to us when we pray. We invite you to join us in daily prayer for our brothers and sisters in Christ in North Korea. Here are suggest prayer points that highlight critical needs. Pray that Kim will be convinced to release the more than 50,000-plus Christians unjustly held in detention centers and prison camps throughout the country.

16 Pray that Kim will loosen age-old requirements that residents attend indoctrination classes and display and bow to Kim family portraits. Pray that Kim will lift information embargoes and allow his people greater access to radio shows, TV programs, and websites. Pray that Kim will allow for the creation of new churches where North Koreans can freely worship outside of the one show church that currently exists. Pray that the underground church In North Korea would grow in boldness and be ready for widespread evangelism efforts when the opportunity arises. Pray that extended families who have been separated across North and South Korea may be reunited. Pray that organizations like Open Doors will be allowed access to provide Christian training and resources to believers in North Korea. Pray that other relief and aid organizations would gain entrance to provide relief aid, trauma care, and other needed services. Pray that North Korea s economic and social infrastructure will find reform that children will no longer be forced into labor, that preschoolers will no longer be indoctrinated, that roadways will be made safe. Pray that North Korea s food supply would be enriched through education and increased trade, so that the 2 in 5 who are currently undernourished will be provided with adequate nutrition. Pray that parents will ultimately be able to freely share their faith with their children and raise them to know Jesus. Pray that U.S. and other world leaders would put in place the right sanctions, pressures, encouragements and opportunities to restore peace and well-being for North Koreans and their neighbors.

17 JOIN US & TAKE ACTION After learning more about the history, context and people of North Korea you might be asking, What can I do to help? Open Doors invites you to: Pray // Sign up for our updates and commit to praying daily with your persecuted family. Visit OpenDoorsUSA.org/pray to sign up today! Volunteer // Join us in serving the persecuted church by using your unique skills and calling by becoming a volunteer. Visit OpenDoorsUSA.org/volunteer to find out more! Give // Give today and help provide Bibles, discipleship, food, medical supplies and much more for your persecuted family in North Korea. Visit the Open Doors website to give today.

18 This is our family. This is our responsibility. This is our mission. Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support that enables us to strengthen the church in North Korea.

Life in 70-years-old North Korea is like living in Orwell s 1984, says escapee

Table of Contents Life in 70-years-old North Korea is like living in Orwell s 1984, says escapee Who Are the Three US Citizens Released by North Korea? US citizens set for release ahead of Trump-Kim talks