North Korea is home to an estimated 400,000 Christians, a tiny minority among more than 26 million people. But even that number remains hidden—forced underground by the world’s most hostile regime toward Christianity. In North Korea, being a Christian is a death sentence. Those who follow Jesus live under constant threat of execution, imprisonment, torture, and lifelong punishment for themselves and their families.
Persecution at Its Most Extreme
The North Korean regime does not tolerate any belief system that challenges the supremacy of the Kim family, who are worshipped as deities. To be a Christian is to be branded an enemy of the state. If your faith is discovered, you could be killed on the spot, or worse—deported to a brutal labour camp where few survive. Extended family members may also be imprisoned or executed, regardless of their own beliefs.
In these camps, Christians are treated as political criminals. Survivors describe years of starvation, forced labor, torture, and psychological abuse. There is no visible church life in North Korea. Worship, prayer, or even owning a Bible must be done in complete secrecy, at risk of betrayal by neighbours, classmates, or government informants. Since the introduction of “anti-reactionary thought laws” in 2020, the government has intensified its crackdown, codifying extreme penalties for any expression of Christian faith.
The Shadow of Death Extends Beyond the Border
Even defection doesn’t guarantee safety. North Koreans who escape to China—many fleeing hunger, persecution and oppression—face immediate risk of capture and forced repatriation.
Once returned, those who have come into contact with the gospel or even been seen near Christian gatherings are singled out for brutal punishment. This includes torture, indefinite detention, or execution, often without trial.
A Recent Escalation in Brutality
In early 2024, North Korea launched a new wave of terror. The regime publicly executed around 30 middle-school students—some barely teenagers—for the “crime” of watching a South Korean drama on a USB drive. Others, including 17-year-olds, were sentenced to life imprisonment or death for similar reasons.
In another incident, residents were sentenced to labor reform camps simply for collecting plastic bottles of rice dropped by South Korean activists—a desperate attempt to provide food aid. These actions illustrate a government prepared to crush even the faintest sign of outside influence, no matter how small or humanitarian in nature.
Meanwhile, as the ruling elite lives in luxury and excess, the general population continues to suffer hunger, fear, and despair—conditions made worse by political isolation and international sanctions.
A Church in the Shadows
Despite the danger, the Body of Christ is growing—silently and courageously. Underground Christians gather in secret, memorize Scripture instead of risking written copies, and pray in whispers. Many are sustained only by smuggled broadcasts, rare Bibles, or the sheer presence of the Holy Spirit in their suffering.
“I know the risks involved. If I am caught, I could end up in a labour camp, paying a heavy price for being a Christian now.”
— Joo Min, a North Korean believer
Support from Outside: A Lifeline for Secret Believers
Organizations like Open Doors are working through secret networks to reach and support around 100,000 underground believers. These networks provide:
- Food, medicine, and essentials smuggled across the border
- Safe houses and shelter for North Korean Christian refugees in China
- Discipleship training and radio broadcasts to strengthen isolated believers
These efforts are dangerous—but for many North Korean Christians, they are a lifeline of hope.
How You Can Pray
- Pray for protection over the estimated 400,000 secret believers in North Korea.
- Pray for courage and peace for those worshiping in the shadows, that they may feel the presence of Christ even in solitary suffering.
- Pray for defectors, especially Christians trying to escape through China, that God will make a way where there seems to be none.
- Pray for justice—that the darkness in North Korea will be exposed, and the truth of the gospel will bring light to the nation.
Excerpts from opendoors.org
