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Among those who rescue refugees from North Korea is German medical doctor Norbert Vollertsen. He served in North Korean hospitals from 1999 to 2000 before authorities expelled him for criticizing the regime. Vollertsen, who calls himself a "rebellious Christian," organizes rescue efforts from a base in South Korea (CT, Oct. 7, 2002, p. 22). He complains that the South Korean government has "used surveillance, interception, and minders to disrupt our plans."

Los Angeles pastor Douglas Shin told CT he has received credible reports that North Korea has launched a 100-day campaign to stem the flow of refugees, while the regime seeks talks with the United States over its nuclear program. Shin says North Korea is trying to "keep the back door blocked while the crisis with Washington is going on."

Ministry activists are urging American and South Korean Christians to show more visible concern for refugees. Church leaders decided that weekly prayer vigils in front of a Chinese embassy or consulate would help.

Local groups of activists hold weekly prayer vigils in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, and Washington, D.C. Christians in other cities are preparing to join the effort. Chongil Kim, pastor at the Korean-Madisonville United Methodist Church in Cincinnati, has been surprised by the interest. "Until we heard Doug Shin's talk here, we didn't know what to do," he said. "Now, we expect a good turnout for [a local] vigil once we get going."

Evangelicals in Europe and Hong Kong have joined the effort. They recently gathered with other human-rights activists at a conference in Prague to draw public attention to North Korean refugees, said Elizabeth Batha of the United Kingdom-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

On January 17 American Christian leaders joined top human-rights and political advocates to issue a statement of principles on North Korea. The document, "From Helsinki to Pyongyang," says American foreign policy toward North Korea must, like the 1975 Helsinki Agreement with the former Soviet Union, insist that basic human rights are the foundation for international relations.

"Based on the lessons of Helsinki, we strongly believe that the United States must neither directly nor indirectly license a fragile and oppressive Pyongyang regime to commit heightened atrocities against its own people in exchange for yet another promise not to pose nuclear threats to the world order," the statement reads. "We also believe that the U.S. can enter into formal negotiations with Pyongyang in a manner that promotes American and universal ideals and creates unity with our allies."

Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, told CT, "The South Koreans only hear about U.S. military interests, not our ideals and compassion for the Korean people." Some human-rights advocates believe evangelical efforts are fueling a debate in the Bush administration on Korea policy.

The Bush administration has enlisted Victor Cha, who teaches Asian studies at Georgetown University, as an adviser. Cha says the January statement will influence U.S. foreign policy. The statement calls for peaceful negotiations with Pyongyang, but it also says the ultimate goal should be the collapse of the regime of the "odious despot" Kim Jong Il. Said signatory Diane Knippers, who heads the Washington-based Institute for Religion and Democracy, "At base, this is a problem with the regime."

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April 2003, Vol. 47, No. 4