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Jewish groups played an important role. While all this was going on, the Simon Wiesenthal Center held an all-day conference on North Korea on persecution.

There were a handful of critical proponents. As always, Senator Brownback, who at least to this non-Christian is a model of Christianity in action, was the chief proponent. He flew all the way out to California to speak at the Wiesenthal Center meeting. And then one week he later took a back and forth flight, red-eye flight again to get Los Angeles to address the KCC—key player, key role.

Senator [Richard] Lugar, who's the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. who is a faith-based leader also, … drew a very bright line in this debate. He said whatever your views on how we should deal with North Korea, allowing that regime to bully us into silence over its human rights record is not acceptable. And so he played a very, very important role in that regard.

Then there were these moments when Senator Biden's staff person, who was the key negotiator for the Senate Democrats, one of the most important moments, as he would be the first to say, he spent a couple of hours, in private, in tense discussion with Richard Cizik of the National Association of Evangelicals and was powerfully influenced by it. He got to understand where this coalition was coming from, and something of the spirit and the determination of the evangelical community.

It was the evangelical passion in the Wilberforce spirit that was the powerful animating force, the energizing force, around this issue. And once again, teaming very particularly with some key representatives in the Jewish community, that was ultimately an irresistible combination.

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Coverage elsewhere on the North Korea Human Rights Act of 2004 includes:

Human rights in the North | It is regrettable the North Korean Human Rights Act of 2004, approved by U.S. Senate this week and expected to become law after passage again in the House of Representatives around the end of the year, is offering more fodder for partisan dispute over here. (Editorial, The Korea Herald, South Korea, Oct. 1, 2004)

Political Circles Divided over U.S. Bill on Human Rights for North Koreans | Political parties in South Korea have mixed views on a U.S. bill that endorses financial aid for international campaigns trying to improve human rights in North Korea. (Chosun Ilbo, South Korea Oct.1,2004)

Uri Criticizes NK Human Rights Bill | Uri Party Chairman Lee Bu-young expressed ``grave'' concerns Thursday over the U.S. Senate's passage of the North Korean Human Rights Act, while a number of ruling party members requested the White House to exercise its exclusive right to veto the bill. (The Korea Herald, South Korea, Oct. 1, 2004)

S.Korea's ruling party blasts US bill | The head of South Korea's ruling party expressed concern Thursday that a U.S. bill on North Korea's human rights could backfire and raise tension in the region. (United Press International, Sep. 30, 2004)

More Christianity Today coverage of North Korea includes:

Criminal Faith | Going nuclear, North Korea allows worship only of its dictator. (July 08, 2003)

Helping Refugees Run Roadblocks | No nation wants North Koreans, but Christians rally to their cause. (March 17, 2003)

Fleeing North Korea | Christians among the thousands making their way to China. (Oct. 7, 2002)

Persecution Summit Takes Aim at Sudan, North Korea | Christian leaders issue second "Statement of Conscience." (May 2, 2002)

Our Editor's Bookshelf selection for this month was Freeing God's Children, about evangelical's action on behalf of human rights world wide. Elsewhere on our site, you can

Read an extended interview with author Allen D. Hertzke

Read an excerpt of Freeing God's Children.

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October (Web-only) 2004, Vol. 48