FAQs
If they are caught with a Bible, singing a hymn, or praying, they can face up to 15 years in a labor camp. Life in the camps is unbearable. Believers are forced to work 12 hours a day and are frequently beaten with metal rods. If they try to escape, they will most likely be shot or tortured.
Why are Christians in North Korea persecuted? ›
According to multiple resolutions which have been passed by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the North Korean government considers religious activities political crimes, because they could challenge the personality cult of Kim Il Sung and his family.
Can you own a Bible in China? ›
It is still not illegal to own a Bible in China. Since the Bible does not have an ISBN (International Standard Book Number), it cannot be sold or distributed within China in bookstores or other commercial markets.
What is the Catholic prayer for North Korea? ›
Pray for Almighty God to deliver a nation long-enslaved by a brutal regime. Pray for the Church to persevere and multiply amid horrific persecution. Pray for Truth to reign and liberate the nation from the regime's indoctrination and lies.
Where is Christianity persecuted the most? ›
Much of the persecution of Christians in recent times is perpetrated by non-state actors which are labelled "entities of particular concern" by the US State Department, including the Islamist groups Boko Haram in Nigeria, the Houthi movement in Yemen, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province in ...
Is Christianity allowed in China? ›
Christianity in China is governed by several sets of rules.
Christians are allowed to worship in “official churches” registered with supervisory government agencies responsible for Protestantism and Catholicism. However, many Christians refuse this oversight and worship in underground churches.
Is North Korea safe for Christians? ›
All Christians in North Korea are vulnerable to extreme persecution at the hands of the country's totalitarian regime. For several years, the border region with China was considered a particular hotspot, given the constant stream of defectors, but recent moves to fortify the border have made it even harder to escape.
What religion is allowed in North Korea? ›
Officially North Korea is an atheist state, however according to most recent estimates, some religions do exist. These are the Korean religions of Shamanism and Chondoism, as well as Christianity & Buddhism. The North Korean constitution officially guarantees freedom of religion but in reality this is not the case.
Are there any Catholics in North Korea? ›
The Catholic Church in North Korea retains a community of several hundred adherents who practice under the supervision of the state-established Korean Catholic Association (KCA) rather than the Roman Catholic hierarchy. The dioceses of the Church have remained vacant since Christian persecutions in the late 1940s.
Can you have a Bible in Saudi Arabia? ›
They were also able to bring in religious items, including books. Proselytizing by non-Muslims, including the distribution of non-Muslim religious materials such as Bibles, is illegal.
Foreign missionaries who come to China are permitted to carry out preaching or religious services within approved religious sites, by these rules, so long as they have the permission of the Chinese religious group, however, outside of the approved religious sites, they are not permitted to carry out most kinds of ...
Why are so many Koreans Catholic? ›
The Catholic Church in Korea originated because of Western books and the increase of Western knowledge that related to Catholic teachings. The Catholic Church faced severe persecution under the Joseon Dynasty. Due to a threat against Confucian-based social and political order.
What do North Koreans worship? ›
Based on estimates from the late 1990s and the 2000s, North Korea is mostly irreligious, with the main religions being Shamanism and Chondoism. There are small communities of Buddhists and Christians.
Is Catholicism allowed in China? ›
The Catholic Church is allowed to operate freely in Macau and Hong Kong.
Can you have a religion in North Korea? ›
Officially North Korea is an atheist state, however according to most recent estimates, some religions do exist. These are the Korean religions of Shamanism and Chondoism, as well as Christianity & Buddhism. The North Korean constitution officially guarantees freedom of religion but in reality this is not the case.
Is Christianity Legal in Korea? ›
While South Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of religion and separation of church and state, the government has been sympathetic to Christianity. It considers the religion to provide some ideological protection against their Communist neighbor.