The recent peace talks between North and South Korea have triggered both countries' hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula. However, does it also bring peace to 300,000 Christians who live in North Korea?
Open Doors is an international organization that regularly pays attention to human rights and religious freedom. The organization has posed questions about whether peace talks, between North and South Korea, imply it is optimistic that North Korea will have more academic and religious freedom.
Brother Andrew, the founder of Open Doors, raised three concerns on the issue. Firstly, since North and South Korea are beginning a new history, what does it mean for the 300,000 Christians who are forced to hide their faith? Secondly, how does denuclearization and peace talks accelerate the release of more than 50,000 Christians? They are locked in labor camps with very poor conditions because of their faith in Jesus.
Finally, he also raises the question that after North Korea has peace talks with the United States in the future, will it allow us to see more academic and religious freedom in North Korea? Brother Andrew believes that it is hard to make judgements at this moment, but at least with the ground-breaking visits between North and South Korea, it is symbolising the possibility of change in North Korea, a closed country and dictatorship.
Brother Andrew hopes that this is God answering prayers to start rescuing North Korean believers who are persecuted. "If we understand how great the power of prayer is, we will get on our knees one hundred times a day and pray to God about things that are subverting the world."
He said that we need to increase our sensitivity for Christians within the North Korean border and insist on urgently praying for their religious freedom so that North Korean churches can be revived quickly.
North Korea has been ranked number one on "World Watch List" for 17 consecutive years. Brother Andrew thinks that if we want this country to decrease in rank on this list, then Christians around the world need to pray for Christians who are persecuted in North Korea and ask God to remember them and accept all the prayers.
(Translated from Chinese.GospelHerald.com)
