North Korea Is My Home Country

The followers is a summary of one of many interviews conducted by Refugees International staff with North Koreans in People'S Republic Of China , some clip in '03 or '04. We print it because we cognize there are few things that involvement people of religion more than seeing one who truly have gone "all the way" with Christ.

MALE, Age 34 topographic point OF ORIGIN: Hoeryong first arrival IN CHINA: June 2003

Three old age ago, he was employed as a driver but then he got ill with a liver job and was laid off. "Even when you travel to the hospital, there are no medicines." His married woman is good at needlecraft that they sell in North Korea. She can do about 15,000 North Korean won in 45 years of work. Because he doesn't work in a mill he doesn't acquire food, except on the Leader's birthday or holidays. His girl travels to kindergarten but must convey her ain nutrient to school.

It's his first clip in China. The director of the local Christian church have known him for old age because the director often travels to North Korea. He came to People'S Republic Of People'S Republic Of China because his "house faced troubles in surviving so I came to acquire aid and to analyze the Bible." He came to China with another North Korean adult male on a secret route.

He will travel back to North Korean Peninsula tonight to convey back Bibles. He desires to remain in North Korea. His first feeling of People'S Republic Of China is "freedom." [At this point he started crying.] "Honestly speaking, I don't desire to travel back but North Korean Peninsula is my place country." He might go back to People'S Republic Of China alone or with his stopping point friends but not with his family.

There is radiocommunication in North Korean Peninsula but no international news. In some topographic points the television can have Chinese stations. After the new economical reform, the state of affairs got worse. It then worsened additional when SARS started. Some people have got committed self-destruction because the state of affairs is so hard.

His relations went for a trip and one of them, a woman, committed suicide. Before SARS, he could acquire one kg of rice for 150 Won. The terms increased to 300 South Korean won per kilogram and now it's toss off to 250 South Korean Won per kilo.

He have not had any jobs with the Chinese authorities. "If you come up to People'S Republic Of China for nutrient the punishment in North Korean Peninsula is 1-6 calendar months of prison. For meeting with aliens a individual could be sentenced to death." If person acquires caught with Bibles he or she will be sentenced to death. He cognizes many people who have got been set in prison house for getting nutrient in China.

"I inquire you to work for freedom of the North Korean people. I desire political and spiritual freedom. In the law we have got freedom, but that's not the reality."

That last paragraph is for us, the readers. Let us work indeed for their freedom, beginning on our knees.