Underground church leaders executed

12 August 2010 0 minutes read

Three leaders of an underground house church in North Korea have been executed and 20 of their Christian associates jailed. North Korean police raided a house in Kuwal-dong in Pyungsung county, Pyongan province, and arrested all 23 believers who had gathered for a "religious function."

Three "ringleaders" were tried, sentenced to death, and executed soon afterwards. The other 20 were reportedly sent to prison camp No. 15 in Yodok. The arrests and executions happened in mid-May -- the news, however, only recently emerged from the so-called "hermit kingdom." The events have also been confirmed by North Korea Intellectual Solidarity, a group of North Korean defectors based in Seoul committed to raising awareness of injustice and promoting reform in their homeland. The 23 Christians had reportedly come to faith after some of them travelled to mainland China on business and came into contact with the church there. (Sources: Release International, AsiaNews)

Please pray for believers in North Korea who follow Jesus at great risk. May they have opportunities to meet together to provide encouragement to one another. Pray for all those in authority in this nation, ask the Lord to favour them with wisdom, compassion and the light of the Gospel. Please pray that those in prison may know of the love and presence of their Heavenly Father.

For more information on suffering Christians in North Korea, go to the North Korea Country Report.

North Korea

Current Ministry Project
VOMC assists in the education and training of North Korean Christians to enable them to reach fellow North Koreans with the Gospel wherever they are found. VOMC also works with proven ministry partners who are broadcasting quality radio programs to equip and encourage believers of the North Korean underground church.

Project Fund: Underground Church
Country Information
Population
26,072,217 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Racially homogeneous; there is a small Chinese community and a few ethnic Japanese

Religion (%)
Juche (99) Christian (1)

Leader
Kim Jong-Un (2011)

Government type
Dictatorship, single-party state

Legal system
Based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese traditions and Communist legal theory

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for North Korea
Pray for the safety of the country's refugees – including those who are hiding in various parts of China, as they are frequently being hunted by Chinese and North Korean agents. Ask the Lord to also protect and strengthen believers faithfully serving within North Korea, granting them wisdom as they seek ways to effectively communicate the hope of the Gospel so the church can continue to grow. And like the Apostle Paul, may the country's primary political leader, Kim Jong Un, experience a profound life-changing encounter with our Lord Jesus Christ who is longing to extend love, mercy and forgiveness toward him (Acts 9).