North Korea: Hell on Earth

“This life is all the heaven the worldling has, and all the hell the saint ever sees.” -Unknown

At first glance, the title for this month’s country might seem extreme. To label somewhere as “hell on earth” is a bold statement and I assure you it is not done lightly. In researching for North Korea this month, I have read testimonies of believers and nonbelievers alike. I have watched documentaries, read reports, and studied the history of the church in North Korea. After all this, one word stands out in my mind and that is

EVIL.

Not that the country itself is evil, because a country is simply a place where we live. And I’m not even saying that the people themselves are evil, because “but for the grace of God, there go I.” Fundamentally, I am no different than them. Then why does the word evil stand out in my mind? Because I have read and seen the result of what happens when a nation completely and totally rebels against God. I have seen what happens when men believe that we are the ultimate authority that shapes our destiny and our world. I have seen what happens when men have no one to answer to but themselves. Corruption, greed, desperation, despair,…all of these words are drowned out by the evil that drives it all.

Even though we would like to deny it, and it makes us uncomfortable to talk about it, deep down we are all capable of unspeakable evil. Without the grace of God, who knows what we could become? And unspeakable evil is being witnessed today in North Korea. How else can you explain poisoning pregnant women and twisting the necks of their babies if they are born alive because all anticommunists must be eliminated up to three generations? How else can you explain then using these dead babies as medicine for prisoners? How else can you explain locking five women in a tank of feces and letting them die? These few examples are not even half of what I have learned and my heart is heavy for North Korea because of the spiritual darkness that is prevalent there. One has to wonder, in the face of so much evil, what can possibly be done? The answer is

HOPE.

Not the hope of men, but the hope that is Christ. Even amidst this present darkness, Jesus is a light in North Korea that is still shinning. He is a light of hope that is buried deep in the hearts of people who believe in “the God of heaven” and who continue to sacrifice everything for him. How else can you explain North Korean defectors training themselves in ministry to return from the country they had once fled? What would drive a person to give up all the world has to offer, to return to persecution and ultimately their death if they are discovered? The fact that they possess something now that their countrymen so desperately need, and that is the hope of Jesus Christ.

As we focus this month on our prayers for North Korea, I would ask two things. The first is to set aside some time right now to pray on April 15th. April 15th is the most important national holiday in North Korea because it is Kim Il Sung’s birthday. On a day that is set aside to worship a dead man, I would ask that we pray for the light of Christ to pierce through the darkness that has enveloped North Korea and beg Him to free the people there from a life of fear and bondage to an earthly god. The second thing I would ask is that as we pray for North Korea and realize how precious their hope is that they cling to, I pray that our own eyes would be opened in a new way to the glories of God and how He chooses to work in our lives. “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”- Ephesians 1:18-21

The following is a copy of the information I compiled on North Korea. Besides this information, please read the blog entitled “Juche”. In order to truly understand North Korea, you need to know what Juche is and how it affects everything in North Korea. Besides the videos on this page, GCC’s library will have a copy of the DVD we watched in class as well as some literary resources. The books to know are “Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea’s State Religion”, “Restricted Nations: North Korea”, “Rogue Regime,” and “Eyes of the Tailless Animals.” The DVD is “Linking Up-North Korea” and the documentary is “More Love to Thee” on the main menu option.

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North Korea

Population: 23,479,089 (July 2008 est.) Religion: Juche:19 million; Christian: unknown

Basic Facts: North Korea is roughly the same size as Mississippi, and it is known as the ‘Hermit Kingdom’ because of its extreme isolation from the rest of the world. In this place cell phones are banned and can only be bought on the black market from China, most people don’t know that a man has walked on the moon, and only top government officials are allowed to use the internet. Instead, in 2000, North Korea launched an isolated, domestic ‘intranet’ service provided by the Kwangmyong computer network. It consists of a browser, an internal e-mail program, newsgroups, a search engine, and approximately thirty Web sites approved by the government. Users’ actions are monitored closely by the government, and most of its users are government agencies, research institutes, and educational organizations.

Politics: North Korea is officially described as a Juche (self-reliance) State, when in reality it is a communist state with a one man dictatorship. Kim Il-sung, the founder of North Korea, was the country's first and only president. When he died in 1994 he was not replaced. Instead he received the designation of "Eternal President", and his embalmed body rests in the Kumsusan Memorial Palace in central Pyongyang. In deference to the memory of Kim Il-Sung, there will never be another president. The de facto head of state is Kim Jong-Il, who is Chairman of the National Defense Commission as well as the former President's son. When he took control of the government after his father’s death, North Korea became the first hereditary Communist dictatorship. According to recent reports, Kim Jong-Il is in poor health due to a stroke.

Religion: The North Korean Constitution allows freedom of religion; however, according to Human Rights Watch, ever since the rise of communism, free religious activities no longer exist. The government sponsors religious groups only to create an illusion of religious freedom. In practical terms, all religion in North Korea is superseded by a cult of personality devoted to the rulers Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il, which is known as Juche. Kim Il-Sung's parents were Christians. However, he felt there was no place for such superstition in his regime. Today, two state-sanctioned churches exist in the capital, which freedom of religion advocates allege are showcases for foreigners. According to a ranking published by Open Doors, an organization that supports persecuted Christians, North Korea is currently the country with the most severe persecution of Christians in the world. In response to the closed borders, orange vinyl bags, which have been printed with Korean Bible verses, are filled like balloons with helium and launched by night from undisclosed areas so they will land in North Korea. The Voice of the Martyrs has launched hundreds of thousands of these scripture balloons since the first launch over 20 years ago. In recent years, Kim Jong-Il has become so irritated by these and other informational balloons entering his country, he has demanded that South Korea put a stop to it declaring that it is ‘psychological warfare’. South Korea has asked the humanitarian groups to stop launching the balloons, but there is currently no legal repercussions.

Legal System: North Korea's judiciary is headed by the Central Court, which consists of a Chief Justice and two People's Assessors; three judges may be present in some cases. Every court in North Korea has the same composition as the Central Court. The security forces so often interfere with the actions of the judiciary that the conclusion of most cases is foregone; experts outside North Korea and numerous defectors confirm this to be a widespread problem. Freedom House states that, "North Korea does not have an independent judiciary and does not acknowledge individual rights...reports of arbitrary detentions, ‘disappearances,’ and extrajudicial killings are common; torture is widespread and severe." Criminal penalties can be stiff; one of the basic functions of the system is to uphold the power of the regime. Speaking out against Kim Jong Il’s or showing signs of hostility towards his regime carries with it severe consequences, including detention in concentration and prison camps. Because so little information is available concerning what actually occurs inside of the country, the extent to which there is any rule of law is uncertain. In any case, North Korea regularly detains thousands of dissidents without trial or benefit of legal advice. According to a US Department of State report on human rights practices, the government of North Korea often punishes the family of a criminal along with the perpetrator.

Human Rights: Multiple international human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, accuse North Korea of having one of the worst human rights records of any nation. North Koreans have been referred to as "some of the world's most brutalized people," regarding their severe restrictions on political and economic freedoms. Many people try to escape North Korea by fleeing to another country, but they are often forced to return to face interrogation, torture, detention and often death. Those who do confess faith in Christ during the interrogation process have been known to be executed immediately. Also, North Korean defectors have testified to the existence of prison and detention camps with an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 inmates, and have reported torture, starvation, rape, murder, medical experimentation, forced labor, and forced abortions. Many of the inmates are believed to be Christians. Religious prisoners are often subjected to harsher treatment, and given the most dangerous tasks, all in an effort to force them to renounce their faith. When they refuse, they are often tortured to death. Those caught praying are beaten and tortured.

People of Influence to Pray for:
Current leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Il

Prisoners:Son Jong Nam, arrested Jan 2006

This article is licensed under the <"http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html">GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_korea" Wikipedia article "North Korea". Material also taken from Voice of the Martyrs www.persecution.net, National Geographic, Opennet.net, BBC News.

Prayers for North Korea:

Pray for Kim Jong-il to release the iron grip his father placed upon the nation. Pray that the Christian influence of his great grandmother is not forgotten, and that the seeds she planted will grow into a harvest that will benefit all of North Korea. (Gal 6:9)

Pray that the balloons launched into North Korea will be an encouragement and a light in the present darkness that grips the country and that they will draw people to God. (Psalm 43:3)

Pray for the safety and encouragement of the Christians who are being held in prisons and work camps who are regularly tortured and killed. (Psalm 59)

Pray that Christians will have opportunities to share the love of Christ, even with those who oppress them. (Rom 12:14)

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Yodok prison camp in North Korea



Life In North Korea



14days Inside North Korea



Inside North Korea: by National Geographic



Inside North Korea (part 2, Malnutrition)



Inside North Korea (part 3, Juche, concentration camps)



Inside North Korea (part 4, defector’s story )



Inside North Korea (part 5, People expressing gratitude to Great Leader)




Helium balloon-posted propaganda from South to North Korea

Juche (Self-reliance)

Who developed Juche?
Kim Il Sung is credited with developing Juche, but it was actually created by Hwang Jang Yop in the late 1960’s. He supported Kim Il Sung and helped establish his totalitarian rule. The President, Kim Jong Il, is considered the final authority of what is Juche. Researchers of Juche look to the President as their teacher.

What is Juche?
It is a man-centered philosophy that glorifies the life of a human being and attempts to explain man’s position and role in the world. Juche says that man is the master of everything and decides everything. This phrase means he is the master of the world and his own destiny; that man decides everything means that he plays the decisive role in transforming the world and in shaping his destiny. On a whole for the nation, this means that Koreans must look to themselves to create ‘paradise on earth’ and cannot rely on foreign interference or aid. The five goals of Juche are: the justification of Kim Il Sung as dictator-god, succession of power is hereditary, national independence, national reunification, and export of the Juche system worldwide.

Why do people follow it?
In order to truly understand how appealing this idea is to a North Korean, one must know that Korea’s history is one of invasion and abuse. For someone to say that Korea will support themselves and not be interfered with by any outsiders is a very thrilling concept to most. Article 3 of the North Korean constitution says the Juche Ideology is the guiding principle for all its actions. Also, children are trained from infancy to revere the Great Leader and must attend indoctrination classes.

Political Ideology vs. Religion
Many people will try to say that Juche is merely an ideology, but its religious components cannot be ignored. (“Use of the Juche era meets the cherished desire of the Korean nation and reflects their ardent worship for President Kim Il Sung.”) The Father Kim Il Sung is known for his ‘immortal feats’, and his son, Kim Jong Il, is known for his ‘unfailing loyalty and filial piety and noble obligation’ to his father. Miracles are attributed to him. It is said that he causes the sun to break through fog, and he has the power to make trees blossom. The Korean people are known as the living body of which the Great Leader is the ‘brain’ and political life is given only through him by learning Juche ideology and sharing wealth with him. This is critical because the individual’s physical life span is seen as mortal, but the political life span is immortal so they can continue to live on in their eternal political life. A twisted concept of the Trinity is seen with Kim Il Sung as the ‘almighty, eternal Father’, Kim Jong Il as the ‘active word, the son,’ and Juche ideology as the ‘spirit of the revolution, the spirit ruling the nation, the life-giving breath’ which is represented by The Tower of the Juche Idea in Pyongyang. The only widely available books are those written by Kim Jong Il, and it is believed that they will save the nation and show the ‘path to reunification’ and eventually will save the world.

Examples of Deification
Kim Il Sung (millions of people celebrate his birthday on April 15, now called ‘Sun Day’) ‘Protector of the Political Life’, ‘Savior of their physical life’, ‘His love makes sick people well’, ‘Respected and Beloved Great Leader’, ‘the supreme brain of the nation’, ‘the head and heart of the body politic’, ‘Great Father’ ‘tender hearted father’, ‘the great sun and the great man’

Kim Jong Il: ‘Center of the Party’, ‘Dear Leader’, ‘Guiding Leader’, ‘Unprecedented Great Man’, ‘Outstanding Leader’, ‘Great Teacher’, ‘Eternal Sun’, ‘Mental Pillar’, ’savior of the nation’, ‘lodestar of nation reunification’

Kim Jong Suk (Kim Il Sung’s wife; superior to all other women in history, role model of allegiance to Kim Il Sung) ‘indomitable communist revolutionary fighter’, ‘outstanding revolutionary woman activist’, ‘the mother of the revolution and children’, ‘woman general’, ‘spirit of Mt. Paektu’, ‘the spirit of defending the leader’

Aspects of Worship
Homage: Ceremonies and symbolic acts that pay homage to Kim Jong Il and the deceased Kim Il Sung are an important part of Juche worship. A key element is paying homage to the statue of Kim Il Sung by bowing before it and laying flowers and floral baskets beneath it. When referring to the Kims in their propaganda, terms like ‘holy’, ‘sacred’, ‘immortal’, ‘homage’, and ‘prayer’ are used frequently. There are also an excessive number of songs and poems deifying them.

Prayer: North Koreans routinely pray for the ‘immortality’ of the deceased Kim Il Sung and for him to ‘live in their hearts’. These prayers are often offered in front of his statue or portrait. (Praying for Kim Il Sung’s immortality refers to traditional Korean belief that deceased family members remain in the family circle in spiritual form; praying to/for ancestors.)

Allegiance: Politics and religion are not seen as separate entities and unquestioning allegiance and total obedience is expected to the Great Leader. (“We should have absolute worship for and unshakeable faith in the leader and follow him with a noble sense of conscience and obligation.”) His pictures are every where and his thoughts are every where. Everyone wears a badge with Kim Il Sung’s face on it over their heart. Not having or showing allegiance is equivalent to religious blasphemy and political sedition. The people are encouraged to offer their very lives and be willing to die for Kim Jong Il because of how he works tirelessly on behalf of the people to better their lives. (“Even if we die while resolutely safeguarding the General, it is glory.”)

Pleasure Teams: These are a harem of women who provide services for Kim Jong Il and his top associates at each of the rulers villas. There are 3 classes of teams: satisfaction teams (sexual pleasure), happiness teams (massage service), and dancing teams (singing/dancing). Serving on a team is considered a ‘holy duty’ and is not a choice. All children are seen as wards of the state, so there can be no objection to them being chosen for service.

Reunification
National reunification, along Juche guidelines, is both a core belief of the Juche religion and the heartfelt desire of many Korean people. It is considered a sacred duty to reunite the country under Kim Jong Il’s rule and it is taught that continued national division threatens the very existence of the nation. Rising generations who have been indoctrinated are determined to achieve eternal prosperity in a reunited country. The U.S. and South Korea are viewed as the dissenters who are preventing reunification by their stubborn refusal to “subordinate everything to the sacred cause common to the nation, that is reunification.”

All material compiled from Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea’s State Religion This is intended as a study guide only for personal use and should not be copied or quoted for any reason. Please obtain the book from GCC’s library for further study or reference.