"I experienced life in prison twice, and I was also brought to a labor camp once. I stayed there for three months until I was released. I had to labor for 18 hours a day in the most terrible circumstances.

"The leaders of the camp only provided meals two times a day, each time a cup with 90 pieces of boiled corn. I almost died of starvation and the unbearable, heavy work. Most of the prisoners were full of hatred and complained all day, but the Christians prayed and prayed, even though they were beaten terribly and were treated worse than others.

"One time I saw a Christian lady who was martyred terribly. They beat her over and over again since she didn't stop praying. She died peacefully while praying to her Lord."

Those are the words of a North Korean Christian who survived the horrors of prison.

It is believed that tens of thousands of Christians are currently suffering in North Korean prison camps. North Korea is suspected of detaining more political and religious prisoners than any other country in the world.

The communist country is characterized by a complete lack of religious freedom. For the third year in a row, Open Doors' World Watch List ranks North Korea as the worst violator of religious rights in the world. Christianity is observed as one of the greatest threats to the regime's power. The government will arrest not only the suspected dissident, but also three generations of his family to root out the bad influence. Kim Jong Il is the "Dear Leader" and has exalted himself as a god to be followed with unquestioned obedience.

An estimated 2 to 3 million North Koreans have died over the past ten years due to a food shortage. Also, 15 percent of all children under 5 are malnourished.

In these horrific conditions, some Christians have formed "district unit organizations" to look after the poorest Christian families among them. And reports indicate that the North Korean church is growing despite pressure from Kim Jong Il's regime.

Persecution Report is presented in cooperation with Open Doors USA, which serves the Persecuted Church through training, Bible distribution, and community development. For more information, call 1-888-5-BIBLE-5 or visit www.odusa.org.

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