We even attended a church service at Pongsu Church in Pyongyang, one of three churches that were allowed to operate in North Korea at the time – two Protestant and one Catholic. These “official” churches are strictly controlled, but there are known to be many illegal house churches operating secretly in the country.

Now comes the news that the U.S. State Department has again named North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism in its “Country Reports” for 2006. The Stalinist country is one of five alleged state sponsors of terrorism along with Cuba, Iran, Syria and Sudan.

It is also believed that tens of thousands of Christians are currently suffering in North Korean prison camps. In fact, North Korea is suspected of detaining more political and religious prisoners than any other country in the world.

The communist country is characterized by a complete lack of religious freedom and of many human rights violations. For the fifth year in a row, Open Doors’ World Watch List ranks North Korea as the worst violator of religious rights in the world. Christianity is observed as one of the greatest threats to the regime’s power. The government will arrest not only the suspected dissident but also three generations of his family to root out the bad influence. Kim Jong-il is the “Great Leader” and has been exalted and revered as a god to be followed with unquestioned obedience.

I ask you all to pray for the people of North Korea and also pray that the country does indeed open up for the Gospel messengers from the South; that they will bring a Gospel of peace to a people who have seen little of that. It is only then that they will find true happiness!

© 2007 ASSIST News Service, used with permission