North Korea: #1 Most Dangerous Nation for Christians

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Over recent years, North Korea’s President Kim Jong Un has inserted himself into the news time and again with his missile launches and tests, trash balloons, soldiers joining Russia in the war against Ukraine, and meetings with world leaders of other oppressive governments.

As we prepare for tomorrow’s International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, let’s launch our own weapons of warfare prayer (Ephesians 6:10-20) for this Communist country ranked #1 on Open Doors’ World Watchlist of most dangerous countries in the world for Christians to live, where an estimated 50,000-70,000 Christians are currently imprisoned.

“There is no church life in North Korea. It’s impossible to gather for worship or prayer, and even secret worship and prayer is at great risk,” writes Open Doors for their 2025 World Watchlist. “Recognizing any deity beyond the Kim family is considered a threat to the country’s leadership. ‘Anti-reactionary thought laws’ were enacted in December 2020. These made it even clearer that being a Christian or owning a Bible is a serious crime and will be severely punished.

“If your Christian faith is discovered in North Korea, you could be killed on the spot. If you aren’t killed, you will be deported to a labor camp and treated as a political criminal, … punished with years of hard labor that few survive. And it’s not only you who will be punished; North Korean authorities are likely to round up your extended family and punish them too, even if your family members aren’t Christians.”

“Even North Korean citizens who have escaped the country are not safe. Refugees in other countries, particularly China, are at risk of being rounded up and sent back to appalling punishments. Chinese spies work with North Korean authorities to return refugees, including Christians.” See this post:

China-North Korea: Partnership to Persecute

North Korea has been closed to the world for so many decades that little news from persecuted believers reaches the outside world. To read letters to us written by North Korean Christians and smuggled out of the country, click here.

“I ask those who have been praying for North Korea from all around the world to pray for North Korea to be able to come to the Gospel. The North Korean citizens are like slaves. With the light of the Lord, they would be freed.”

North Korean Christian, “Hee-Yol” (OpenDoors.org)

Last year, authorities publicly executed about 30 middle-school students for watching a Korean drama on a USB drive. A few months later, several teens, age 17, were sentenced to life imprisonment or death for similar reasons.

Even so, about 20 percent of North Koreans own radios and can access shortwave broadcasts. “Through secret networks outside the country, Open Doors secret workers are helping around 100,000 North Korean believers by providing vital food and aid, shelter and discipleship training for North Korean refugees at safe houses in China, and training through radio broadcasting from outside the country.

• “Pray that God will refresh courageous believers with His peace.
• Pray that God will give Christians – both in and outside North Korea – eyes to see His light amid the darkness.
• Pray for the estimated 400,000 secret believers in North Korea, that God will make a way for them to worship with other Christians.”

Lord, please wrap Your arms around every persecuted Christian, especially those who suffer in prisons and labor camps. Keep them warm. Provide for all their needs. In fact, provide for them so abundantly they will share of those provisions with the lost around them, showing them what it looks like to follow the God of Love. Shield, strengthen and rescue those who are in danger or suffering under heavy loads. Let them feel Your presence so near that faith, hope and love radiate from them, drawing others to You. Strengthen their faith and give them courage to forgive those who torture and kill them and their family members. Speak so powerfully, performing signs and miracles and wonders by Your mighty hand, that the fame of Your name races across the nation like wildfire, bringing with it the good news of salvation and igniting every heart with desire for the One who sets them free. God of Miracles, we ask You to perform them in the hearts of North Korea’s leader and all those bound to obey him. Whenever they raise a gun, hand or other weapon against a Christian, stand in the way, blocking the blow. Be a Shield so real that the bullets and blows ricochet off and hit those bent on evil. Let every oppressor see Your angels standing in front of believers, guarding them gloriously. Meet President Kim and other persecutors in their dreams, bind up the demons that control them, break through the darkness of their hearts and minds with Your light. Ignite within them such a fear of You and hunger for Your love that they will repent, choose salvation and let You set them free. Release the captives, O God, especially every Christian in labor camps and prison. Bring a swift end to the reign of terror. Lift the clouds of darkness and awaken every heart in North Korea to You. Isaiah 51:7-16. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Stay plugged in to what’s going on around the world here at the Prayer Wall, where we are praying daily for persecuted Christians, whole nations lost without Christ, our own families and communities and more. To get the daily prayer guides in time for your morning quiet times with God, enter your email address in the space below:

About the author: Mikaela Vincent and her husband have served the Lord for many years a dark area of the world where Christians are persecuted and few have heard the good news about Christ. They are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through giving a donation, shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, praying for them or inviting them to speak at your church, retreat or other event, click the buttons below:

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