North Korea Tops World Watch List as Most Dangerous Country for Christians

Veronica Neffinger | iBelieve Contributor | Updated: Jan 15, 2016

North Korea Tops World Watch List as Most Dangerous Country for Christians

According to the recently released World Watch List by persecution watchdog group Open Doors USA, North Korea remains the number one oppressor of Christians for the fourteenth year.

The Christian Post reports that, despite the increasing threat of the Islamic State, Open Doors still puts North Korea at the top of the list for the atrocities it commits against Christians.

Open Doors CEO David Curry told The Christian Post in an interview why North Korea remains the greatest threat to Christians.

“Getting information out of North Korea is notoriously difficult. That is what makes the fact that it remains number one on the World Watch List even more amazing. We don't even know how many Christians have been martyred in North Korea. Yet, it remains at the top. That's because it uses all of the powers of its government to suppress Christian faith, to punish even the most basic of things such as owning a Bible," Curry explained.

Curry added that North Korea imprisoned over 70,000 Christians this year and executed many as well.

“You have executions — we don't know how many, but we know of enough. There has been no let up in persecution in North Korea," he added.

There are also reports of labor camps in North Korea where prisoners are kept in horrific conditions.

Parents in North Korea are refraining from passing on their faith to their children for fear the children will be careless and speak of it in hearing of a government official.

Curry said that world leaders need to be aware of the atrocities committed against Christians in North Korea and in other countries. 

"We want to put this on the front page of President Obama's agenda. We're asking for all who care about this issue to go to OpenDoorsUSA.org and sign the petition," he concluded.

Photo courtesy: flickr.com

Publication date: January 15, 2016



North Korea Tops World Watch List as Most Dangerous Country for Christians