A toddler in North Korea has been jailed for life after their parents were found with a Bible, according to the new International Religious Freedom Report from the US State Department.

The unnamed two-year-old child has been sentenced to life in a prison camp, with their entire family also jailed.

Their story was detailed a new report exposing multiple cases of North Koreans being k*lled for the Christianity, including an execution by firing squad of one woman and her grandchild in 2011.

The publication summarises the findings of various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), human rights groups, and the United Nations to reveal what life is like for Christians living in the country, estimating that up to 70,000 Christians are imprisoned for their faith under the Kim Jong-un regime, out of a possible population of 400,000.

In one case, a member of the ruling party was was executed in front of an audience of 3,000 at Hyesan airfield after they were found in possession of a Bible.

According to the report, others also faced pigeon torture, which sees them suspended with their hands tied behind their backs, meaning they are unable to sit or stand for days on end.

“It was the most painful of all tortures,” one victim said. “It was so painful that I felt it was better to die.”

Meanwhile, some were forced to endure sleep deprivation, with one Christian woman in solitary confinement driven to suicide in 2020 after prison guards refused to let her sleep.

Others also faced starvation, dehydration, tainted food, beatings, and being made to adopt agonising positions for prolonged periods.

North Korea has argued that it guarantees its citizens religious freedom in its constitution, citing the churches it has built in Pyongyang as proof.

However, the new report argues these churches operate merely as ‘showpieces for foreigners’, saying one defector claimed people could be arrested for lingering too long outside the churches and listening to music from within - or even consistently driving past them.

Ray Cunningham, from Homer in the US state of Illinois, visited Chilgol Protestant Church in Pyongyang during a service.

He told Pen News: “I came away wondering just how real this is. Are the services regular? The church seems maintained but is it a regular event? In the society you see no evidence of religious activity – except for Buddhism.

“It feels real but like many things indeed it may be somewhat a show for tourists. In this case it might be a mixture of showmanship and a few elderly Christians in the area.”

He also noted that no children were at the services, adding: “The congregation was made up of older men – all seemingly over 65 – and women over 40.

“What you did not see were children or young working-age people.”

The report said many North Korean Christians actually hide their faith from their children, citing the finding of one NGO, Open Doors USA (ODUSA), which said: “A Christian is never safe. Children are encouraged to tell their teachers about any sign of faith in their parents’ home.”

Another NGO, Korea Future, said children were also taught in school about the ‘evil deeds’ of Christian missionaries, including ‘rape, blood sucking, organ harvesting, murder, and espionage’.

The report explained: “One defector told Korea Future that the government published graphic novels in which Christians coaxed children into churches and took them to the basement to draw their blood.”

While most of the cases of religious persecution documented by Korea Future targeted those practicing shamanism, it was Christianity that normally led to the harshest punishments.

The report claimed this was because Christians are perceived as a ‘hostile class’ and a ‘serious threat to loyalty to the state’.

 https://www.unilad.com/ne .. 72087-20230526

Coming to a government near you.

fu*k Christianity and this bullsh*t propaganda.

Gotta be some propaganda doesn't even make sense

ordoabchao said fu*k Christianity and this bullsh*t propaganda.

Sounds like you'd fit right in North Korea.

thirssty58 said Gotta be some propaganda doesn't even make sense

Christianity doesn't get propaganda unless it's to put Christianity in a negative light.

You think this story making mainstream news? Heck nah.

Crazy to see how many people that don't have a clue so they just default to their ignorance

Wow...I wonder y they focused on Christianity tho? Them folks can't have no religion unless it the religion the government tells them to have. I'd never have kids in that society and would be mad af at my parents for having me! I'd join the military and dip as soon as I got some rank! Smh.

Bottle rockets launched 5,4,3,2

Op is such a weird little f*g**t.

ordoabchao said fu*k Christianity and this bullsh*t propaganda.

fu*k the 9 n*ggas that slapped you. we need to get you back in the plus and ready for war

AmillionMo said Wow...I wonder y they focused on Christianity tho? Them folks can't have no religion unless it the religion the government tells them to have. I'd never have kids in that society and would be mad af at my parents for having me! I'd join the military and dip as soon as I got some rank! Smh.

its in true opposition of the ruler, i a*sume he wants no one else above him, in North Korea he is the only god and he is trying to make sure of that smh. my prayers go out to my brothers and sisters living in that type of oppression.

You can get arrested for anything in North Korea. They k*lled homeboy a few years ago for disrespecting a poster of their president.

This ain’t too far fetched.

view tweet

Not surprised. That country is so a*s backwards.

You know the rules when you over there, cmon

Crazy cats close to Kim jung un don't just murder his a*s

The Kim family çonsider Jesus a rival

Very weird situation

People willing to die over fairy tales vs people willing to k*ll them over fairy tales

Shorts said Crazy cats close to Kim jung un don't just murder his a*s

They might not know the temperature of the room. Can't just murk dude during a destined to fail missile launch without knowin if ur gonna get shot. It's not like they can go around n have secret meetings at night without knowin if he got spies amongst the crowd. U can have the best plot but get ur a*s took to prison or death before u enter the door. These people scared.

I told somebody i was raised on being a Jehovah's witness but i don't trust religion, especially an adventist one like JW...why would i believe their religion or any other caucasoid religion when the majority of information in society has been lies perpetrated by european invader terrorist who've raided, murdered, r*ped, pillaged & brainwashed countless cultures for generations

Nautilus O said Very weird situation People willing to die over fairy tales vs people willing to k*ll them over fairy tales

idolatry

Christianity aint sh*t but a control method, I had the convo with my pops. That sh*t inst for black americans. Unless you practice it on your own

thirssty58 said Gotta be some propaganda doesn't even make sense

This is common in communist countries. Go back and look at Soviet Russia, especially when the Bolshevik Revolution first kicked off. Anyone claiming christianity was put in a concentration camp or tortured and k*lled. Churches were burned and ministers and priests were put to work while Rabbis were held in high esteem. That last sentence should tell you who's in control of communism.

I am NOT a christian nor any other religion but the study of actual world history (not the propaganda written by the victors of WW2) shows that this is common and who's behind it.