In North Korea - Case of the Spilled Ink

An Hyuk was arrested for crossing over into China from North Korea, out of curiosity. All his life he had belonged to a loyal Communist Party family. He had received a government scholarship to a physical education school at age 12. But one day he was out ice skating and China "called." He was caught just over the border and of course sent back. Now, "sent back" to North Korea isn't the same as "sent back" to Mexico. He was detained in solitary confinement underground for 20 months! Then sent for a second dose of punishment,18 months, at another site.

While at the first location, guards kept him awake constantly and forced him to sit motionless for days. [All for ice skating into China]. Down the hall from him was a man who had spilled ink on a picture of North Korea's leader. Another who had not adequately dusted a photograph of the "Great Leader."

At the second site, it was time to do manual labor. His first job was to break the ice, jump in the water, and wade waist-deep looking for stones and laying boards to re-channel the water. Many died at this same job from exposure, or lost body parts to frostbite. Second job: go to the top of the mountain, cut down huge and heavy hardwood trees, and carry them down by hand. Many died in this project too.

Thankfully, he was able to escape, tell his story, and be a part of the gradual unfolding of the evil that is North Korea. Too bad for most of us, the book he published in Seoul (Yodok List) was written in Korean.

Now, my brother-sister in the Lord. If spilling ink, not dusting photographs well, and ice-skating into China brings on periods of misery such as this, can we imagine the pain of a believer in Jesus who will not give up his faith in our Lord Jesus? What can we do for a North Korean prisoner today? As always, we are called to pray, to give, to go, and of course to be ready to bear Christ's cross ourselves.

Some information for this article gained from online works of David Hawk.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.