North Korea (MNN) ― The United Nations is voting on a resolution critical of human rights abuses in North Korea. Among those abuses is religious persecution targeting Christians and those involved in Christian work.
It's timely, considering the latest from Ham Kyung Book Do Chung, says Voice of the Martyrs' Todd Nettleton. "Ten college students in one of the northern provinces of North Korea have been arrested by the National Security Agency. They apparently were caught reading the Bible and watching a Christian DVD. Because of that, they were all taken into custody. Their situation is very grim."
The man who reported the case has since escaped to China to avoid arrest. Voice of the Martyrs issued a press release about the situation.
According to their contact, the GumRung Company of the Rodong Dang Labor Organization Department was actively involved in Bible smuggling (we've edited some of the information for security reasons).
"In March 2006, 200 Life Bibles and several hundred CDs were purchased in China and secretly placed in flour bags before being smuggled into North Korea. This huge Bible smuggling case was headed by GumRung Company employees who were influenced by Christianity in China and underground Christians. All the leaders have been arrested and are being severely tortured."
The danger now is keeping this man out of North Korea. China has been repatriating asylum seekers, much to the dismay of the humanitarian community. If he is forced to return to North Korea, his life could be forfeited.
Yet, there is one bright spot in this story. The group of college students who were arrested evidently shared the Bible and video CD with their friends. They also reportedly distributed the Bibles and video CDs to the other college towns.
Nettleton urges prayer. "What we can do now is pray. That is really all we can do. The North Korean government is almost immune to international pressure. So our option, at this point, on behalf of these brothers and sisters who have been arrested, is simply to go to the Lord, to pray for their safety, to pray for justice for them, and pray that their lives would be spared."
The Voice of the Martyrs stands
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