North Korea: Defectors Underline the Need for Prayer
Jun 26 2007
Postings >> North Korea

As the worldwide Christian family unites in praying for North Korea this week, defectors from the 'hermit kingdom' have been underlining why those prayers are so vital.

Former prison guard Ahn Myeong-Cheol was one of two defectors to address a conference in London last week, with tales of the brutal treatment meted out to political prisoners and Christians. A new report launched by conference organisers, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), accuses North Korea of 'crimes against humanity', including murder, extermination, enslavement and forced labour.

CSW claims that the regime has killed between half-a-million and a million prisoners. Some of them are imprisoned simply for worshipping Jesus, rather than Kim Jong Il.

Ahn Myeong-Cheol, who was a guard at four different prison camps, said Christians were given the worst treatment. 'In camp no 22 there was a Christian elderly [woman]. To me she seemed really faithful. One day I witnessed that she was getting beaten up and I asked one of the guards why and he said, “This crazy lady, she is still believing in God.”

Christians are considered as mentally ill people. The worst crime in North Korea is not believing in Kim Jong Il and his father. Christians are one of the worst criminals.'

This week (June 25-July 1) has been designated a global week of prayer for North Korea by the church of South Korea. June 25 was the anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 and 2007 is the centenary year of Pyongyang's Christian revival.

Act

• Visit www.pfnk.org -- which has information and resources to help you and your church join the Pray for North Korea 2007 initiative, which is supported by RI.

Pray

• Ask God to bless His church in North Korea, both inside and outside its prison camps. Pray that the current regime will be reformed -- or replaced.