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North Korea: Elderly Man Arrested and Beaten for Visiting Chinese Christians

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  • Updated Jun 12, 2017

An elderly man from North Korea has been beaten after he returned from visiting Christian relatives in China, reports Christian Today.

Sixty-one-year-old Kim Seung-mo was reportedly arrested three days after returning to North Korea from visiting family in China. He had told his neighbors about visiting his relatives and had even revealed that they attended a Christian church. The neighbors apparently reported Kim to the authorities.

“All North Korean travelers returning from China are required to report their whereabouts and details about their activities,” explained a source who asked to remain anonymous. “In Kim's case, he was arrested on charges of spying because he did not report the fact that his relatives are churchgoers and that the church pastor helped him,” the source continued.

Kim was reportedly tied with rope and beaten. “I witnessed him being dragged by state security officials in front of Wiyon train station,” said the source.

Kim suffered black eyes, a leg injury, and various bruises and scrapes. The Ministry of State Security, the police force of North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un, is known to be ruthless.

North Korea is the number one country on Open Doors’ 2017 World Watch List of countries where Christian persecution is most severe.


Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/alexkuehni 

Publication date: June 12, 2017