The family was brutally punished. They simply disappeared. The reason: They had a Bible.

First published on Stefanus.no 09.12.24. Written by: CSW and Stefanus Alliance Illustration: Emily Paik for CSW 

North Korea is a country where anyone expressing dissenting opinions or beliefs ends up in brutal labour camps, facing torture and the risk of execution. The situation is particularly dire for Christians. This is a country where entire families caught engaging in Christian activities can simply disappear. 

The human rights situation in North Korea is likely to have worsened ten years after a landmark investigation into the country. The Kim regime continues to act with blatant disregard for international standards, according to a report by CSW, the sister organisation of the Stefanus Alliance. CSW is Christian Solidarity Worldwide. 

"The situation in North Korea is one of the worst human rights abuses in the world, including violations of religious freedom," says one of the experts interviewed in the report. 

The report is entitled "North Korea: We Cannot Look Away'. It marks the 10th anniversary of the publication in 2014 of a report by the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea. This report is considered the most comprehensive account of human rights abuses in the country. 

Read the report here: “WE CANNOT LOOK AWAY” 

"Tightening the grip” 

North Korea has been ruled by Kim Jong-un since 2011. The third Kim in a family dynasty, he took power at the age of 27, following in his father's footsteps. 

"Because he saw Christians as disloyal, he was deeply concerned. I think he thought, like his father and grandfather, that if Christianity took root, it had the potential for explosive growth. I think he just tightened the screws as much as he could, and that's still more or less the situation. He has zero tolerance for anything to do with religious freedom," says one expert in the CSW report. 

“I believe that, like his father and grandfather, he thought that if Christianity takes root, it has the potential for explosive growth." 
—Expert on North Korea 

Ten years after the publication of the landmark UN report, the CSW report concludes that the Kim regime has made no effort to comply with international human rights standards. Nor has the regime taken steps to participate as an equal and active member of the international community. 

The situation is worsening 

The human rights situation in North Korea is unchanged at best. It may even have worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued forced repatriation of North Korean refugees from neighbouring China. 

The report is based on interviews with six North Korean refugees and 17 experts on North Korea. It highlights the total absence of freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief in the country. 

While all religions and beliefs face repression, Christianity is particularly targeted, according to the report. This is likely because Christian ideology is at odds with the Juche ideology, which is often likened to a form of compulsory state religion. 

The report highlights the complete absence of freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief in North Korea. 

Execution 

Those who express beliefs or opinions that challenge the authority of the Kim regime face severe punishment, including torture, imprisonment in the country's political prison camps, and even execution. 

The same is true for those suspected of possessing or dealing with religious materials, especially Bibles. 

One refugee tells her story: 

"It is very common for people to just disappear in North Korea. One night the family of a classmate of mine disappeared. The story told in town and in the local community was that the reason was that the family had hidden a miniature Bible on their roof," the refugee said in the report. 

"A pariah” 

The report was launched in Seoul, South Korea. At the launch, CSW Executive Director Scot Bower recalled that the 2014 UN investigation concluded that the "severity, scale and nature" of human rights violations in North Korea revealed a state unparalleled in the world today. 

"Ten years on, the Kim regime has ensured that it remains a pariah on the international stage. The regime continues to act in defiance of global human rights standards. We hope this report will spark further conversation and innovative thinking among academics, policymakers, civil society and others on how to address one of the world's worst human rights and humanitarian crises. Our vision remains a North Korea where all people can freely exercise their rights and freedoms, including the right to religious freedom, and today we reaffirm our commitment to making that vision a reality," Bower said at the launch.