According to Open Doors, North Korea is the country that has the most severe Christian
persecution in the world.
But despite this, a defector is saying that Christianity is growing in North Korea despite
the persecution.
Kim Chung-Chiung, a North Korean defector now working as a Christian missionary, says
despite the persecution faced by Christians in the world's most difficult place for Christians,
the church continues to grow there.
He's a defector that fled North Korea the night before he was scheduled to be executed.
He's now a radio presenter in South Korea.
He said that the one thing that the North Korean regime fears the most and is afraid
of is the spreading of the gospel, because the Bible and the gospel speaks the truth.
Once the light shines in the dark room, there is light in the room.
Despite the efforts of the government in North Korea, he said the faith of Christians
in that country continues to grow.
The government will do anything to prevent the spread of the gospel in North Korea, but
as you can see, we cannot block the sunlight with our hand, he said.
Open Doors, an organization serving persecuted Christians in more than 60 countries, ranks
North Korea as the most oppressive place in the world for Christians.
Christians are forced to hide their faith completely from government authorities, neighbors,
and often even their own spouses and children due to ever-present surveillance.
Many pray with their eyes open, and gathering for praise or fellowship is practically impossible,
Open Doors explains.
Worship of the ruling Kim family is mandated for all citizens, and those who don't comply,
including Christians, are arrested, imprisoned, tortured, or killed.
Entire Christian families are imprisoned in hard labor camps where unknown numbers die
each year from torture, beatings, over-exertion, and starvation.
Those who attempt to flee to South Korea through China risk execution or life imprisonment,
and those who stay behind often fare no better.
Kim called on Christians around the world to pray for Christians and religious freedom
in North Korea.
He said, It is my prayer that all the international Christian communities will pray for the North
Korean Christians to really help and engage them to spread the gospel, not only through
the works of the underground church network, but also through the government and requests
for this religious freedom that they are earnestly praying for.
The defector explained that the North Korean government uses a facade network, the Korean
Christian Association, to identify Christians in the country while portraying a false narrative
about religious freedom there.
With the more than 24.4 million population in North Korea, just 300,000 identify as Christian,
according to Open Doors.
Through his work with the Far East Broadcasting Company, Kim helps send gospel messages, Christian
music, and world news into North Korea through USB drives and SD memory cards.
He said, However, the most important work is to fill the North Korean people's minds
with Jesus Christ because the truth will set you free.
He said, It's my earnest prayer that the truth will set each of my North Korean brothers
and sisters free.
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