Open Doors Interview with North Korea Expert
For more than 30 years, North Korea has ranked at or near the top of Open Doors’ World Watch List—the annual ranking of the 50 most dangerous countries for Christians.
The country’s brutal, 60-year dictatorship has meant that one family, the Kim dynasty, demands total allegiance over everything … including faith in Jesus. The current leader of the country, Kim Jong Un, has ruled with an iron fist since 2011 and has continued the shocking persecution of Christians in North Korea.
Recently, members of Open Doors’ field team for North Korea spoke with Lee Sang-Yong, the director of Daily NK, one of the leading North Korean watchdogs. Lee is an expert on the situation for all people—including Christians—in North Korea, and Daily NK specializes in news from North Korea gathered from a variety of underground sources and correspondents within the country.
The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity:
Open Doors: Why are you personally interested in religious persecution in North Korea?
Lee: I have been covering North Korea for nearly 15 years and have long been interested in the issue of religious persecution. From 2009 to 2012, I worked as a correspondent in China where I formed relationships with many missionaries who were trying to share their faith with North Koreans.
At the time, many North Koreans were visiting their relatives in China, and some encountered Christianity there. I saw firsthand how missionaries worked tirelessly, hoping their efforts would bear fruit. Witnessing this deepened my concern for those facing religious oppression. I also want to take this opportunity to offer my condolences to all those who have suffered for their faith in North Korea.
What is your take on what’s happening to religious believers in North Korea?
Religious believers, especially Christians, are facing severe persecution in North Korea. Reports indicate that defectors repatriated from China in 2023 were sent to political prison camps if they had any contact with Christianity. North Korea is considered the worst country for Christians, where believers are classified as the “hostile class” and are punished harshly.
How does North Korea justify religious persecution?
Despite claiming to allow religious freedom in its constitution, North Korea views religion as a threat to the regime. It falsely labels Christianity and other faiths as “dangerous influences” that undermine loyalty to the state. The government even produces propaganda films portraying religious believers as spies attempting to destabilize the country.
The Daily NK website has extensively covered recent changes to North Korean laws, including the Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act. What is this law, and why is it so dangerous for Christians?
This law, enacted in December 2020, aims to block foreign influence, including religious beliefs. It criminalizes the distribution or possession of religious materials, treating them as a threat to the ideological purity of the state.
Why does North Korea see religion as a threat?
The regime sees any ideology outside of Kim Jong-Un’s revolutionary doctrine as a threat to its control. The law prohibits the inflow, viewing or distribution of external content, reinforcing the idea that not only foreign media but also cultural and religious influences are punishable offenses.
Article 29 of the law explicitly criminalizes the production, introduction or distribution of materials that promote “superstitions”—a term the government uses to falsely equate religion, especially Christianity, with anti-state activity. Individuals caught with religious books, recordings or visual materials can face severe punishment, ranging from re-education through forced labor to life imprisonment. In cases deemed particularly severe, the death penalty may apply.
"The North Korean government sees religion—particularly Christianity—as a direct challenge to the state ideology. By banning religious engagement among youth, the regime seeks to eliminate any potential for future dissent."
The law operates alongside state surveillance programs to ensure strict enforcement. Authorities actively monitor personal devices, inspect homes and encourage citizens to report suspected religious activity. This crackdown is part of a broader effort to maintain ideological purity and suppress any beliefs that challenge the absolute authority of the North Korean leadership.
We also know that the North Korean government is concerned about youth. How does North Korea ensure young people do not turn to religion?
The Youth Education Guarantee Act, passed in 2021, is a key tool North Korea uses to prevent young people from engaging in religious activities. The law explicitly forbids young people from participating in or spreading religious beliefs, reinforcing the regime’s control over ideological education. While the law does not outline specific punishments, it functions in tandem with the Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act (2020), which provides the legal framework for harsh penalties against those found guilty of religious activity.”
The North Korean government sees religion—particularly Christianity—as a direct challenge to the state ideology. By banning religious engagement among youth, the regime seeks to eliminate any potential for future dissent. The law categorizes religious involvement alongside crimes such as murder, theft and drug use, portraying faith as a dangerous and corrupting influence that must be eradicated from society.
State-controlled education reinforces this narrative, teaching children from a young age that religious belief is equivalent to treason. The government ensures strict ideological indoctrination, warning students that engaging in religion could not only endanger their own lives but also lead to the punishment of their families. In addition to formal education, young people are subject to intense surveillance and peer monitoring, where reporting religious activity is rewarded and failing to do so could bring suspicion upon themselves.
What consequences do young believers face if they are caught?
Although this law does not specify direct punishments, its enforcement relies on the Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act, which allows for severe consequences, including re-education camps, forced labor and life imprisonment for individuals caught possessing or distributing religious materials. If religious activity is found to be widespread, the punishment can extend to collective punishment, affecting entire families and communities.
In essence, North Korea’s strategy is to completely cut off younger generations from any exposure to religion, ensuring that future citizens remain loyal to the regime. By embedding fear, surveillance and strict ideological education, the government attempts to create an environment where religious belief is nearly impossible to sustain.
North Korea at a glance
Region
East Asia
- Religious nationalism (Very strong)
- Dictatorial paranoia (Very strong)
- Ethno-religious hostility (Strong)
- Christian denominational protectionism (Strong)
- Clan oppression (Strong)
Christian population
73,233,000
Main Religion
Hinduism
Is there evidence of a religious crackdown on youth?
Yes. Reports indicate that even simple acts, such as a woman in North Pyongan province praying for her family’s health during the COVID-19 pandemic, were considered “anti-state conspiracies.” The authorities claimed that such acts demonstrated a lack of belief in the Party.
Who is responsible for cracking down on religious activity?
The Ministry of State Security leads the efforts to suppress religion, supported by social security agencies and local authorities. These agencies execute crackdowns based on directives from the Party Central Committee.
Authorities use extensive surveillance methods, including phone monitoring, tracking internet use, home searches and electronic surveillance. Residents are encouraged to spy on each other through a “Crowd Reporting Act” that rewards informants for reporting suspected religious activity.
What happens if someone is caught practicing Christianity or another religion?
Punishment is severe. Those caught holding private worship meetings or evangelizing are often sent to political prison camps. Some reports indicate that executions take place behind closed doors, with families of offenders also facing collective punishment.
In North Korea, religious crimes do not just affect individuals—they impact entire families. If one family member is caught practicing Christianity, the entire household may be sent to a political prison camp. This creates an atmosphere of fear, where even relatives may report suspected believers to protect themselves.
Are there examples of collective punishment for religious offenses?
Yes. In early 2023, a family in Seoncheon County was secretly arrested for holding a private prayer meeting. The entire family was sent to a political prison camp, and the case was kept secret from the public.
Many North Koreans have been to China and come in contact with Christianity. How does North Korea treat defectors who have encountered religion?
Defectors who return to North Korea undergo harsh interrogations. If they are found to have had contact with religious groups in China, they are punished more severely than those who fled for economic reasons. Many are sent directly to political prison camps.
How does North Korea identify religious defectors?
Interrogators ask leading questions and inspect communication records. If a defector is suspected of having read the Bible or interacted with Christian groups, they face the highest level of punishment.
Reports from 2023 indicate that around 10 forcibly repatriated defectors were interrogated for months before being sent to political prison camps. Those with ties to Christianity faced the harshest punishments.
Has religious suppression had any unintended effects for the government?
Yes. Despite strict crackdowns, there has been a noticeable increase in traditional spiritual practices such as fortune-telling. Many North Koreans turn to these practices out of fear and uncertainty, especially due to military deployments and economic hardship.
Can North Korea change its stance on religion?
Currently, it is unlikely that the Kim Jong-Un regime will change its religious policies. The government sees religion as a major threat and is taking increasingly severe measures to suppress it.
What is the key takeaway from this situation?
North Korea’s persecution of religious believers is one of the most extreme in the world. The government uses strict laws, heavy surveillance and brutal punishments to suppress Christianity and other faiths. However, despite these efforts, the human desire for faith and freedom continues to persist.
What can the international community do?
Raising awareness about religious persecution in North Korea is crucial. Documenting human rights violations, supporting defectors and putting diplomatic pressure on the regime can help. Additionally, connecting with North Koreans who are willing to speak out can provide valuable insight into their struggles.
