North Korea

Persecution of Christians in North Korea

Christians in North Korea endure terrible persecution by the state.

Believers must keep their faith secret, even from their own children who are encouraged at school to report on parents who pray or read the Bible. The “crime” of owning a Bible can result in execution.

Believers who gather for worship risk being sent to a labour camp, along with their whole family – even if their family members aren’t Christian themselves, they are considered to be guilty by association.

Inmates of the camps are starved, tortured or worked to death. Christians often suffer even worse forms of treatment than other prisoners. Those suspected of being Christian are interrogated or tortured for longer periods, to try and force them to name other Christians.

Religious freedom in North Korea

Freedom of religion is supposedly guaranteed by the constitution of North Korea, but in practice freedom of belief, conscience and worship are among those human rights routinely denied under North Korea’s totalitarian government.

Kim Il-sung, founder of the current communist regime, introduced the songbun system in the late 1950s. This classifies citizens according to their “loyalty” to the state. Although his parents were devout Christians, Kim Il-sung classified followers of religion as “hostile” and deserving of punishment and execution.

North Korea’s supreme leaders – including the present leader, Kim Jong-un – demand worship of only themselves.

Authorities in North Korea and neighbouring China collude closely over the arrest, punishment and forced repatriation of North Korean Christians who attempt to flee to China.

The Gospel in North Korea persists

According to reports in mid-2026 from opposition media based in South Korea, the North Korean authorities in North Korea are boasting of having “practically exterminated” religion, Experts, however, have cast doubt upon these claims.

“We know there are still strong Christians who are worshipping in small groups or as individuals," said Song Young-Chae of the Worldwide Coalition to Stop Genocide in North Korea.

“They can ban religion, but they cannot stop people believing in Christ,” added Eunju Kim, a campaigner who escaped from North Korea in the 1990s.

How you can pray

• Pray for our brothers and sisters in North Korea, who risk their lives by following Christ. Ask the Lord to comfort them with His presence, and grant them the courage to continue following His Word despite the risks.
• Cry out for those held in labour camps, that they will be comforted by God’s love through their trials. Ask that those Christians whose faith has not yet been discovered will be protected and kept safe from the awful punishments they face for believing.
• Praise the Lord that the Church cannot be defeated by the powers of darkness (Matthew 16:18).