Article published in collaboration with Open Doors. Image credit: Open Doors
He had lost most of his teeth. He was extremely thin. His hair had turned white. But he had survived. After eleven years in a North Korean prison, Jang was pardoned and able to reunite with his family in China.
More than eleven years ago, in November 2014, Deacon Jang* was working in China near the river border with North Korea. There, he helped North Korean defectors by organizing humanitarian aid. He also shared his Christian faith with them. Jang himself was originally North Korean but had become a Chinese citizen.
On one occasion, while near the border with North Korea, he was captured and taken into North Korea. There, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for “defaming the regime” and “attempting to incite opposition to the regime”—charges stemming from his Christian work among North Koreans who had recently fled to China.
Physical Effects of Imprisonment
After eleven years in prison, Jang was released in November last year. He is now recovering with his family in China, as his captivity took a severe toll on him. According to those close to him, his body bore clear signs of prolonged suffering. He had lost all his teeth except his molars. He was extremely thin and looked like someone who had not eaten for a long time, little more than skin and bones. His skin was dry and leathery, and his hair had turned completely white. The deacon, once so full of life, needed several weeks of recovery at home before he even had the strength to go outside.
Jang was released through a special pardon, something very unusual for those imprisoned on religious grounds. Sources close to the deacon say that three factors contributed to his release: his exemplary conduct in prison, where he served as a role model for other inmates; the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the ruling Workers’ Party in North Korea; and the fact that he had already served eleven years of his sentence.
His release marks a clear departure from the way North Korea usually handles Christian prisoners with foreign citizenship, who are very rarely released early or allowed to return to their home countries. A small number of Americans released in recent years are among the few exceptions.
Interrogations in China
Despite his own physical suffering in prison, Jang spent much of his captivity worrying about his family. Throughout his imprisonment, he was constantly concerned that his loved ones might have abandoned their Christian faith because of his arrest.
When, after his release, he had recovered enough to attend church services, Jang expressed immense gratitude to God. His family had not abandoned their faith in the Lord at all. Instead, they had faithfully continued attending church and praying for him throughout his imprisonment. Learning this filled Jang with tremendous joy and thankfulness.
However, Jang’s ordeal is not yet over. Since returning to China, he has regularly been summoned for questioning by the police and other security agencies. These ongoing interrogations are extremely taxing for a man who already has significant physical and psychological trauma to process and recover from.
Tens of Thousands of Christians Imprisoned
Although Jang’s release offers a glimmer of hope, the situation for other imprisoned Christians in North Korea remains very serious. Three South Korean missionaries—Kim Jung-wook, Kim Kook-kie, and Choi Chungil—remain imprisoned in North Korea. They were arrested on separate occasions while carrying out Christian ministry near the China–North Korea border. In addition, three North Koreans who now hold South Korean citizenship are reportedly being held after being abducted and forcibly returned to North Korea.
Open Doors estimates that between 50,000 and 70,000 North Korean Christians are currently imprisoned within the country’s extensive network of labor camps and prisons. Most of them were arrested simply for owning a Bible, meeting secretly for worship, or maintaining contact with Christians outside the country.
“Pray That Many More Will Be Released”
Jang’s release demonstrates that anything is possible and can inspire continued prayer for imprisoned Christians.
“The release of Deacon Jang should give us renewed strength in prayer. We never thought he would survive his prison sentence, but now he has been able to return home. Let us pray that many more imprisoned Christians will also be released,” said Simon Lee*, Open Doors’ coordinator for ministry among North Koreans.
Lee emphasized the importance of continued prayer for Jang’s physical and emotional health, for his safety during the Chinese interrogations, and for the thousands of other believers who remain imprisoned in North Korea.
*Names have been changed for security reasons.
