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North Korea

• Christian Radio Broadcasts Expanded

  

  While the "radio" may be considered almost obsolete technology in some areas of the world, Voice of the Martyrs Korea (VOMK) acknowledges that it's an effective means of sharing the Gospel message in North Korea. Despite the significant risks involved, an estimated 20 percent of North Koreans regularly listen to foreign broadcasts using headphone radios. Although Christian broadcasting is illegal in this highly restrictive nation, the use of these radios allows individuals to listen to programs discreetly or alone in the dark, reducing the likelihood of detection by onlookers who may report them to the authorities.

• Persecution & Prayer Alert

  

  
  "O come, Thou 'Rod of Jesse' [the Messiah],
  Free Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
  From depths of hell Thy people save,
  And give them victory o'er the grave."
  ~ These lyrics, based on Isaiah 11:1-5, are from the hymn,
  "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel."
  Translated from Latin by John Mason Neale
  
  

  For many who receive the weekly "Persecution & Prayer Alerts," Christmastime brings to mind the imagery of joyful family celebrations, the enjoyment of peaceful carol music and, most importantly, the celebration of God's gift to humanity, as expressed through the birth of His Son Jesus. It's a season involving Christmas pageants, festive lights, gift-giving, and meaningful worship services of celebration. While the specific traditions may vary among individual families and churches, the primary purpose remains the same for all believers: to remember and celebrate the arrival of the "Promised Messiah."

• Court Ruling Permits Balloon Launches

  

  Since 2005, The Voice of the Martyrs Korea VOMK has used large balloons to carry Bibles and Scripture pamphlets into the restricted nation of North Korea. However, in 2020, the South Korean government passed a law criminalizing the use of balloons after negotiations with the North Korean government. (See this report for more details on the restriction.)

• Balloon Launches Officially Banned

  

  Since 2005, The Voice of the Martyrs Korea (VOMK) has used balloon launches as an effective way of getting Bibles into North Korea. Recent surveys indicate that an increasing percentage of North Korean defectors have also been given access to the Scriptures. Many of those Bibles may well have come through VOMK, whose distribution outreaches sent approximately 600,000 Bibles into the country over the years. It has been the only major organization supplying religious materials across the border.

• Bible Launches Met with Resistance

  

  For several years, The Voice of the Martyrs Korea has helped get Bibles into North Korea. Typically, this was done through the launch of large balloons, which would strategically drop the contained materials across the border. Recently, members of the ministry team have also begun using bottles filled with rice, vitamins and small Bibles to bless those residing in North Korea. These bottles were systematically sent while the timing of the tide was just right so they would float along the western coast to their intended destination.

• Bible Used to Track Defectors

  

  In an attempt to monitor defectors, North Korean secret police agents have been studying the Bible. The purpose is for them to be able to gain rapport and trust with defectors in China and South Korea. In so doing, they hope to gain information on the whereabouts of other defectors, as well as ways to track and monitor them.

• Prisoners Released Amidst Peace Talks
  
  Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone

  Three American prisoners were officially released from custody in North Korea on May 9th in a move widely viewed as a goodwill gesture ahead of a summit between the leaders of the United States and North Korea. The three men -- Kim Hak-song, Kim Dong-chul and Tony Kim -- were all being held in labour camps on charges of anti-state activities. They are all Christians who had been involved with various ministries in North Korea. The three had been transferred to a hotel earlier this month.

• Introduced to God During Interrogation
  
  Photo: Flickr / Roman Harak (cc)

  "Kyung-ja" first heard of God while suffering in a North Korean prison. Prior to her incarceration, she had escaped North Korea in an attempt to earn money in China for her starving family back home. When Kyung-ja returned, however, she was arrested. According to Todd Nettleton of VOM USA, while being interrogated, she was repeatedly asked unexpected questions: "Did people in China talk to you about God? Did you meet with people who are followers of God? Did you read the book about God while you were in China?" For Kyung-ja, this topic was completely new, as she had never before heard of God.

  After facing interrogation, Kyung-ja was transferred to a labour camp. Intrigued by the interrogator's questions, she asked a fellow prisoner about God. This prisoner affirmed that there was a God but was too afraid to talk about Him in the camp. Even so, a seed had been planted in Kyung-ja's heart.

• Freed Pastor Welcomed Home with Joy!

  
  Pastor Lim addresses his congregation after arriving safely in Canada.
  Photo: World Watch Monitor

  The large congregation of Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Mississauga, Canada, was ecstatic on Sunday, August 13th, when welcoming home their senior pastor, Hyeon Soo Lim, who was held for more than two years of a life sentence as a prisoner at a North Korean labour camp. The church was also crowded with media personnel recording his significant and almost unexpected return.

• Shortwave Broadcasts Reaching Multitudes

  
  North Korean defectors share
  the Gospel in the North Korean
  dialect via radio waves.

  A shortwave radio program created by North Korean defectors in partnership with VOM is reaching an estimated two million North Koreans nightly. Each 90-minute program includes a Scripture reading, encouraging messages from Christians around the world, and readings from Pastor Richard Wurmbrand's testimonial book, Tortured for Christ. Although largely isolated from their worldwide Christian family, North Korean believers now have access to God's Word and an indirect connection to other followers of Christ.