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North Korea
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In North Korea, secret believers gather at enormous risk of deadly punishment.
“Because of the many sudden and random house searches, we had to hide the Bibles in our home. There were three of them...each Bible had a paper cover, with images of Kim il-Sung and Kim Jong-il, to keep them from raising suspicion.”
Persecution Type
- Dictatorial paranoia (Very strong)
- Communist and post-Communist oppression (Very strong)
Christian population
400,000 (estimate)
Government
Single-party communist state
Main Religion
Atheism, (Juche is the state ideology)
Leader
Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un
What is persecution like in North korea?
North Korea returns as the number one country on the World Watch List. If a North Korean is discovered to be a Christian, the consequences are unimaginably stark: either imprisonment in one of its notorious labour camps, with little hope of release, or immediate execution. The same fate is likely to await other family members.
While the church buildings displayed in the capital Pyongyang might suggest a degree of tolerance, this is propaganda. The reality is very different. Christianity has no place in North Korea, a country where homage must be directed one way only: towards the Kim regime. With watchful eyes everywhere – even from neighbours and family – even the slightest hint of worshipping Jesus can have devastating consequences. Remarkably, believers do gather, but in utmost secrecy and at enormous risk.
Recent years have seen conditions worsen further for North Korea’s secret believers. This is largely due to the ‘anti-reactionary thought law’, introduced in 2020, which made it even clearer that being a Christian and owning a Bible is regarded as a serious crime. The law has reinforced just how much of a threat Christianity is seen to be by the country’s unbending regime.
What changed this year?
While there have been some notable developments in North Korea in 2025, the overall situation remains largely unchanged. Many negative trends continue to affect the country and its people – including secret believers.
The regime has strengthened its military capabilities, engaged in selective diplomatic interactions, tried to develop tourism and implemented internal policy changes. Meanwhile, the everyday life of its citizens remains intensely harsh, including the devastating impact of its ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The agenda behind all this is unchanged: to strengthen the country’s self-reliance and its strategic positioning on the world stage. For North Korea’s handful of secret believers, that means continued repression and ongoing extreme danger.
Who is most vulnerable to persecution?
The dangers facing Christians in North Korea are such that all believers are vulnerable to extreme persecution.
What does OPen doors Do to help?
Open Doors seeks to strengthen secret believers in North Korea through networks outside the country. This includes emergency relief aid, Christian materials, Christian radio broadcasts and shelter, and training for those who’ve fled the country.
How can I be praying?
Pray for Kim Jong-un and his family. Ask God to change their hearts – knowing that He did the same for the Apostle Paul.
Communities of faith in North Korea are often small gatherings of families or close friends. Pray that God would protect these beautiful expressions of His church, and that these believers would sense God’s perfect peace.
Pray for those believers in North Korea affected by a lack of food, that God would help them find the food they need. Pray that they would be given opportunities to wisely share the gospel by caring for others in similar circumstances.