Several dozen North Korean believers have been discovered by the authorities – and immediately executed.
They were gathered for a meeting when security guards broke in and arrested them all. More than 100 members of their families were then sent to political camps, which is a common fear tactic in North Korea, whereby the government extends punishments to the relatives of supposed culprits too. It is believed that information about the time and place of the meeting was deliberately leaked to the authorities.
This latest government persecution is part of a major sweep against underground Christians. In North Korea, where worshipping any god who is not leader Kim Jong-Un is strictly forbidden, Christianity is considered a threat to the government and the Kim family. This has intensified recently, possibly to quell any possible rebellion caused by the Covid-19 crisis. The ‘anti-reactionary thought law’ was enacted in 2020 and has tightened controls over external information (such as videos and radio broadcasts) and increased punishments for infringements. That law has made it even more difficult for underground church members to worship and pray together.
