-
Delivering Serbs to the Wolves
May 21, 2013 | 15 comments
-
The Perils of Intervention in Syria
May 7, 2013 | 37 comments
-
America on Welfare
April 25, 2013 | 46 comments
-
Thursday Is Tax Freedom Day
April 17, 2013 | 5 comments
-
Time for Real Federalism
April 8, 2013 | 23 comments
Special Report
Religious Persecution in North Korea
The Kim regime is more than confrontational — it remains brutally repressive and cruel.
North Korea again has demonstrated its recklessness to the world. Pyongyang recently unveiled its uranium enrichment program and bombarded a South Korean island. For a time war clouds circled the Korean peninsula.
But the Kim dynasty in the so-called Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is more than confrontational. The regime is brutally repressive. The North’s prison camps are full of political dissidents, would-be refugees, and religious believers.
The DPRK routinely rates among the world’s worst religious persecutors. Formally atheistic, the regime has turned politics into a quasi-religion. The communist system is holy like a church, the ruling Kims, both father and son, are secular saints, the self-reliance philosophy of Juche amounts to theology, recorded in books of Kim sayings, and heretics are severely punished.
But North Korean repression is largely invisible to the world. We see through a glass darkly wrote the Apostle Paul, and no where was that more true than in the DPRK. The regime is uniquely opaque, with only a minimal foreign presence in Pyongyang.
In late 2009, 29-year-old Robert Park illegally crossed from China to the North in order to increase attention to persecution in North Korea. He was held for 43 days and tortured before being released. He recently has been speaking about his experience.
Unfortunately, conditions have not improved. The State Department designates the communist state as a Country of Particular Concern. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom also recently cited the North as one of its 13 Countries of Particular Concern. The group Open Doors put the DPRK at the top of its latest World Watch List. International Christian Concern cites North Korea as one of the world’s 10 Worst Persecutors.
Yet foreign religious delegations sometimes are taken in by the North’s Potemkin Village of faith. Last October, Mark Tooley of the Institute on Religion and Democracy wrote about such a trip organized by the World Council of Churches, which in years past had promoted violent Marxist “liberation” groups. Alas, clerics often are the most credulous of observers, seemingly determined to see the Kim regime as an international victim.
The reality is very different. In the DPRK, explains the State Department, “the government severely restricted religious activity, except that which was supervised tightly by officially recognized groups linked to the government. Genuine religious freedom does not exist.” Those who seek to gather and worship independently face severe repression.
The Commission’s judgment is similar: “Severe religious freedom abuses occur regularly, including: surveillance, discrimination, and harassment of both authorized and unauthorized religious activity; the arrest, torture, and possible execution of those conducting clandestine religious activity; and the mistreatment and imprisonment of asylum-seekers repatriated from China, particularly those suspected of engaging in religious activities or having religious affiliations.”
In fact, repression has been getting worse, since Pyongyang feels threatened by increased cross-border activity. Reports State: “Recent refugee, defector, missionary, and nongovernment organization (NGO) reports indicated religious persons engaging in proselytizing in the country, and those who have been in contact with foreigners or missionaries have been arrested and subjected to harsh penalties.”
International Christian Concern offers a similar judgment: “In 2009, the North Korean government took new steps to combat religious activity, and halted cross-border support from Chinese Christians. The government set up false prayer meetings and infiltrated underground churches as new tactics to entrap Christian converts.”
Yeo-sang Yoon and Sun-young Han of the North Korean Human Rights Archives and Database Center for North Korean Human Rights, respectively, interviewed North Korean defectors and refugees. They released their latest white paper on religious liberty in the North last year. The report still makes for depressing reading.
Yoon and Han estimate that roughly five percent of human rights violations involve religious persecution. Unfortunately, the authors conclude, “Religious oppression is ongoing with no signs of any improvement.” Nevertheless, there is a small but important bright spot: “The number of unofficial, behind-the-scenes and clandestine religious activities has increased little by little despite the North’s anti-religious policies.”
The Kim dynasty does not recognize individual liberty of any sort. People in the DPRK are expected to be dutiful automatons. They should share the official “religion” of deification of the Kim-led state. Everything people do is expected to glorify the “Great” and “Dear” Leaders. The regime considers real “religion as something to overcome,” write Yoon and Han.
Pyongyang obviously understands the threat posed by belief in God. As Adolf Hitler’s notorious “People’s Court” judge Roland Freisler declared, Nazism and Christianity had only one thing in common — they claimed the whole person. Similarly, Christianity (and other faiths) and Communism (especially in North Korea) have only one thing in common — they claim the whole person.
About the Author
Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. A former Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan, he is the author and editor of several books, including The Politics of Plunder: Misgovernment in Washington (Transaction).
Letter to the Editor View all comments (25) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Doug Bandow
More Articles From Special Report
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/12/09/religious-persecution-in-north
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Harry| 12.9.10 @ 6:44AM
I don't believe we should talk of the World Council of Churches as being "taken in". This suggests they are merely well-intentioned and naieve. Mark Tooley's excellent October article referred to and a host of other evidence indicates they are not mistaken, just deliberately wicked.
ACynic| 12.9.10 @ 9:45AM
You are obviously misinformed or simply a CIA lackey; NK is simply responding to US aggresssion. If not for the imperialistic, racist, dog-eat-dog darwinian capitalistic USA, NK would not even need an army. Their beloved glorious leader, Kim Jong , is revered by his people. The only reason NK has an army is to keep out CIA operatives from sneaking into that peaceful land.
As for religious persecution, well, the CIA is fomenting trouble in that land by funding Christian groups who wish to install a right wing, CIA dominated Christian theocracy in that peaceful land.
Clearly, you have been eating excessive quantities of LSD tainted kimchi. If you think I am crazy, just google Jimmy Carter's comments re: NK.
daddio| 12.9.10 @ 10:24AM
umm, yeah...
Richard Baker| 12.9.10 @ 10:23AM
ACynic:
Jimmy Carter as a source? It's not just the North Koreans who are crazy. Either that or your comments are satire.
Natural Born Texican| 12.9.10 @ 11:13AM
It is the complaicency of believers in the God of the Bible (my Father God!) that will pay the ultimate price. Turning a blind eye to the persecution and inhuman treatment to put a "happy" face on the atrocities being committed against believers ANYWHERE in this world is NOT acceptable.
It will all be sorted out in the end......but not by any committee or organization or government.
The God of Heaven will take care of that!!!!!!!!
Jesus Is!!!!
trish| 12.9.10 @ 8:58PM
......is Lord!!! Jesus is!
Margie| 12.10.10 @ 11:50AM
That is correct!
As the words written in Handel's Messiah magnificently proclaim from the Scriptures:
"For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His Name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over His Kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this." Is. 9:6 & 7.
It is fitting and worthy of full acceptance that we remember these facts at Christmas time. Some of us look to remember them daily, but now is a good time as well. Jesus is Lord, He is risen indeed and is coming again as a plan for the fulness of what we call time. It is amazing and true:
"In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His Grace which He lavished upon us. For He has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of His will, according to His purpose which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in Heaven and things on earth." Eph. 1:7-10.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." Jn. 3:16.
bk| 12.9.10 @ 11:54AM
Korea is surrounded by big world power nations, Russia, China, Japan, and U.S. The problem is that none of these nations don't want North Korea to collapse and South and North Korea become united. China does not want to have border with South Korea which is an U.S. ally. Japan does not want the unification because Korea will grow economically even faster after the unification. Remember North Korea has a lot of natural resources and very cheap labor. South Korea has one of the best technology. When these two countries become unified, Korea will be a super power country and other countries don't like that. U.S. also does not support the unification in the Korean peninsula because after the unification U.S. will be pressured to leave the country. Currently South Korea is the number one buyer of U.S. arms and South Korea spends billions of dollars to pay for operation of U.S. military there. After the unification, Koreans will not need presence of U.S. military and U.S. does not want to leave Korea because U.S. wants to use military bases in Korea in case they need to attack China someday. U.S. wants to keep their influences in east asia by keeping military stations in Korea. So, until these 4 big countries all agree and allow the unification, Korea will be remained divided despite of both South and North Korean's wish for unification. Until then, Christians in North Korea will continue to suffer from persecution. I hope all these four evil neighbor countries to turn to God soon so that North and South Korea can be united. Americans, please turn to God and I hope this web site can help you repent your sins. christforamericans.com
GavInTucson| 12.10.10 @ 2:57AM
Actually, per the Wiki-leaks document release, China no longer has any real use for North Korea and would prefer to see a unified peninsula under South Korean control.
North Korea has become the petulant, whining child in the movie theater that the rest of the audience wants to silence (including China).
South Korea, on the other hand, is a willing and docile trading partner. Sadly, sort of like us these days.
T H Huxley| 12.10.10 @ 9:18PM
North Korea has artillery trained on Seoul, and Kim Kong-Il promises to level Seoul if anyone takes military action. This may be part of the reason that South Korea is "docile". I don't have the military knowledge to know whether this threat has any substance.
ann| 12.9.10 @ 12:06PM
How can we be expected to pray for the religious freedom of others when religious freedom in American is slowly eroding away. When Christians are afraid to say Merry Christmas, when nativity scenes are torn down, when the word God is removed from official documents, it seems that slowly but surely certain religions in this country are under seige. It seems the only religion shown any respect in the US is Islam.
Intelligent Design| 12.9.10 @ 1:06PM
American citizens should recognize that Islam is subversive to our Constitution. For example, Saudi Arabia forbids the practice of any "religion" other than Islam. Islam is about the merger of church and state to form a totalitarian dictatorship. Islam, Nazism, North Korean communism, and the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have a lot in common. They consume the whole person including human rights.
Red Phillips | 12.9.10 @ 12:57PM
I don't doubt any of this, but none of this should be taken to mean that the US should "liberate" North Korea or that we have any responsibility to protect South Korea militarily. I am sure Mr. Bandow would agree because he has written as much here before.
Alan Brooks| 12.9.10 @ 3:21PM
Maybe you are correct, Red: perhaps we should have limited ourselves to overthrowing that clap-ridden witch the Confederacy in 1865.
Red Phillips | 12.9.10 @ 6:39PM
"overthrowing"
Well, given your view of history, how could "we" have "overthrown" the Confederacy (as opposed to quelling insurrection)? Does this mean you concede that the Southern States actually did secede? Only a seperate entity can be overthrown.
Alan Brooks| 12.9.10 @ 8:19PM
If they had merely staged an insurrection-- a guerrilla war to wear the North out-- then you would be correct; but they formed the Confederate States of America, and could be overthrown.
And West Virginia seceded from the CSA: were W. Virginians insurrectionists opposed to the CSA? that's another issue.
Red Phillips | 12.9.10 @ 8:24PM
"but they formed the Confederate States of America"
Exactly. Thanks for making my point. The southern states seceded despite Lincoln and the Unionists bloviating that they couldn't.
Alan Brooks| 12.9.10 @ 6:21PM
TAS readers, please pay attention to me!
Alan Brooks| 12.9.10 @ 8:20PM
Tim*,
pay attention to your own self and use your own name on blogs.
Alan Brooks| 12.9.10 @ 8:44PM
Here I am. Here I am. Listen to me. I've got something to say. I am woman hear me roar.
Alan Brooks| 12.9.10 @ 10:56PM
Tim* Belushi:
"seven years of Kindergarten wasted."
Alan Brooks| 12.9.10 @ 10:59PM
"The southern states seceded despite Lincoln and the Unionists bloviating that they couldn't."
But the south said W. Virginia couldn't secede from the CSA.
Alan Brooks| 12.10.10 @ 12:54AM
... besides, why would Southerners call themselves
the CSA if they were legit? Why was there not a new name demonstrating independence? the Dixie Federation, say?
Sounds like the whole enterprise was doomed from the start.