Tag: North Korea

N Korean torture victim changes story

January 19, 2015 North Korea North Korea, Torture

A man who escaped from a North Korean prison camp and became the subject of a best-selling book that described how he was tortured has admitted minor parts are untrue. Shin Dong-hyuk has now said that accounts of his torture and the execution of his mother and brother are slightly . . . Read More

2014: A year of rising hostility toward Christians

January 7, 2015 Global News -- No Particular Country Africa, Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabaab, Asia, Boko Haram, Buddhist nationalism, Central African Republic, China, Communism, Converts, East Africa, Fulani herdsmen, Hindu nationalism, India, Iraq, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Latin America, Malaysia, Mexico, Middle Belt, Middle East, Narendra Modi, Nigeria, North Korea, Religious freedom, Sri Lanka, Sub-Saharan Africa, Syria

While the world’s eyes were riveted to Syria and Iraq in 2014, life for Christians worsened even more profoundly in Africa, according to an annual report on religious freedom. The situation deteriorated most rapidly in Sub-Saharan Africa, in countries where Islamic extremism is the main source of pressure upon Christians, . . . Read More

North Korea’s human rights in UN spotlight

December 23, 2014 North Korea China, North Korea, Russia, UN

Despite initial opposition from China and Russia, the UN Security Council is discussing North Korea’s human rights record. According to the BBC, this comes ‘days after the UN General Assembly voted in favour of referring North Korea to the International Criminal Court to face charges of crimes against humanity.’ Earlier . . . Read More

North Korea unexpectedly frees US detainees

November 10, 2014 North Korea Barack Obama, Kenneth Bae, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Pyongyang, USA

Two Americans who had been detained by North Korea returned to the US on November 9. Christian missionary Kenneth Bae was sentenced to 15 years hard labour for crimes against the state two years ago and Californian Matthew Todd Miller was sentenced to six years of hard labour after he . . . Read More

‘Freedom of Religion’: comprehensive report launch

November 4, 2014 Global News -- No Particular Country Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Central African Republic, China, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Maldives, Myanmar, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Qatar, Religious freedom, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zimbabwe

A report showing that religious freedom is compromised in nearly 60 percent of countries worldwide is expected to send a signal to governments and religious leaders that this is an issue that can no longer be ignored. The international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need’s Religious Freedom in . . . Read More

Pope’s Korean visit highlights plight of North’s Christians

August 15, 2014 North Korea Jeffrey Fowle, Kenneth Bae, Kim Jong Wook, Kim Jong-Un, North Korea, Pope Francis, South Korea

Pope Francis has arrived in South Korea and is calling for peace and dialogue between the two Koreas instead of ‘displays of force.’ His five-day visit is the first time a Pope has visited the Korean Peninsula in 25 years. It coincides with the appeals of two detained American Christians, . . . Read More

China crackdown on charities along its North Korea border

August 13, 2014 China China, North Korea, Pope Francis, South Korea

According to Reuters, ‘China is cracking down on Christian charity groups near its border with North Korea … with hundreds of members of the community forced to leave the country and some who remain describing an atmosphere of fear.’ The action is believed to be aimed at closing off support . . . Read More

Churches plan peace-building on Korean Peninsula

June 20, 2014 Churches, North Korea, South Korea, Switzerland

The World Council of Churches sponsored a meeting of international group of church leaders from 34 countries, including North and South Korea, in Switzerland to advance reconciliation and peace on the Korean peninsula. It was the meeting of its type since 2009. According to the official statement released at the . . . Read More

Amnesty tells North Korea to end Christian persecution

June 9, 2014 North Korea Bibles, House churches, Missionaries, North Korea, South Korea

Amnesty International has said North Korean authorities must release all those detained solely for their religious beliefs, following reports that an American tourist has been arrested after he left a Bible at a hotel. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, the man arrived April 29 and was detained . . . Read More

S. Korean missionary gets life sentence

June 2, 2014 North Korea House churches, Kim Jong Wook, Missionaries, North Korea, South Korea

North Korea on Friday sentenced South Korean missionary Kim Jong-Wook to life in a labor camp. Kim was arrested in October, charged with establishing underground churches, though other sources had said North Korean secret agents had brought him into the country from the Chinese border city Dandong. Kim “admitted” during . . . Read More

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