Jan week1 Prayer for North Korea

1. "A North Korean Defector Describes the Current Situation in North Korea: 'Enforcement Teams Sucked Blood Like Vampires'"

▶ ▶ Article Summary:
The family of Mr. Kim, who entered South Korea for the first time in 2023, took an exceptional route by coming through the sea due to the COVID-19 border lockdown. Pregnant wife, mother, and younger relatives were all on board the ship that fled North Korea. Mr. Kim, experiencing stiffness in his body due to tension during defection, successfully crossed into South Korean waters without being caught and was rescued by the South Korean navy. Mr. Kim reported the severe hardships faced by North Korean residents due to the border closure, with instances of two known farmers starving to death. According to him, when a COVID-19 case emerged, the authorities would block the entire military unit for a while, then bring in goods at an opportune time, selling them to the residents with a show of the state's efforts. While the residents were grateful at each occurrence, Mr. Kim pointed out the authorities' use of the pandemic for population control. Referring to the enforcement teams tasked with monitoring individuals accessing South Korean content as 'mosquitoes' that suck blood, those who consumed and distributed South Korean content faced severe punishments, including re-education and execution. Mr. Kim shared that a 22-year-old acquaintance faced public execution. His daughter, who was pregnant during their defection, is now a month old, and leaving the hellish land of North Korea was the driving force behind Mr. Kim's decision..
[Read more: https://url.kr/kz1f89 ]

▶ ▶Prayer Points
"He raises the needy from their affliction and makes their families like flocks." (Psalm 107:41)
○ Pray for the successful adaptation of Mr. Kim's family, who defected to South Korea last year, to Korean society. May they encounter the gospel, embrace Jesus, and experience true freedom of the soul in the land of liberty.
○ Show compassion for North Korean compatriots who have faced severe food shortages after the COVID-19 border closure. Pray that the Lord personally provides daily bread to North Korean compatriots, safeguarding their lives and health until the day of freedom and belief in Jesus arrives.
○ Pray for the complete abolition of anti-human rights laws and regulations, such as the law against reactionary thought and culture rejection in North Korea. Pray for the eradication of illegal executions, such as public executions and executions labeled as 'exemplary,' related to the consumption and distribution of South Korean movies, dramas, etc. Pray for the establishment of righteous leaders and a regime that guarantees the basic rights of North Korean residents and implements the rule of law.

2. "White House: 'Preventing Virtual Asset Hacking to Cut North Korea's Missile Funding'"

▶ ▶ Article Summary
Ann Newburger, Deputy Assistant to the President for Cyber and Emerging Technologies at the White House National Security Council (NSC), stated that "North Korea's cyberattacks, which the United States is prioritizing in response, involve the theft of virtual assets." North Korea has evaded international measures through the theft of virtual assets, resulting in a significant increase in ballistic missile launches. Since 2022, North Korea has launched over 100 ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles and three military reconnaissance satellites. The virtual assets hacked by North Korea in 2023 amount to a total of $1.7 billion, approximately 2.15 trillion won. Deputy Assistant Newburger estimated that nearly half of North Korea's missile development costs were funded through virtual asset hacking. Experts express concerns that North Korea's cyber hacking has the potential to evolve into more destructive acts against international security. Newburger acknowledged North Korean hackers as skilled, creative, and aggressive but emphasized that the current focus is on inhibiting their access to weapons development funds. To thwart North Korea's ballistic missile development program funding, which escalated from 2022 to 2023, the White House cyber security team is dedicated to preventing North Korea's virtual asset hacking.
[Read more: https://url.kr/vl84da]

▶ ▶Prayer Points
"…They commit falsehood; inside they store up theft; they do not consider that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face. By their evil, they make the king glad, and the princes by their lies." (Hosea 7:1-3)
○ Pray that North Korea's crimes of virtual asset theft are exposed to the light. Ask the Lord to block the inflow of funds from cyber-hacked black money into North Korea's weapons development. Pray for international legal sanctions against individuals and organizations involved in illegal money laundering.
○ Pray for the end of North Korea's Kim Il-sung Juche ideology, idolization regime, and three-generation dictatorship. Ask the Lord to swiftly bring about the gospel unification of democratic freedom that He has prepared. Pray that the highly skilled, creative, and aggressive reputation of North Korea's hacker unit receives recognition for positive contributions in the IT industry, rather than pleasing dictators through cybercrime.

3. "UNHCR Recommends Issuing Identification to Defectors in China, Urging Improvement in Treatment of Defectors"

▶ ▶ Article Summary:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has acknowledged the dire human rights situation of defectors in China and recommended the issuance of identification and documentation for defectors, allowing them legal residence in China. As the UN Human Rights Council is set to conduct a Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of China in January, the UNHCR has advised guaranteeing humanitarian space for defectors deemed in need of international protection. The Universal Periodic Review is a system where the UN Human Rights Council reviews the human rights situation of every UN member state every 4.5 years. While China is obligated to adhere to the principles of the Refugee Convention and the Convention against Torture, it has designated defectors as "illegal immigrants," considering them criminals and has not recognized refugee status under international law. China has ignored the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the expulsion or extradition of individuals to a country where there is a risk of torture, stating that there is no evidence that defectors sent back to North Korea are subjected to torture. The South Korean government emphasizes that forced repatriation of defectors goes against humanism and international norms. It continues efforts for diplomatic communication with relevant countries to enhance communication on overseas defectors and ensure safe and prompt domestic transfer.
[ Read more: https://url.kr/n457ir]

▶ ▶ Prayer Topics:
"Do not hold back discipline from the child; although you strike him with the rod, he will not die." (Proverbs 23:13)
○ Pray that China accepts the UNHCR's recommendation, recognizing the dire human rights situation of defectors in China and taking steps to issue identification and documents for stateless defectors. Pray for improvements in humanitarian treatment.
○ Pray that China heeds the repeated calls from the international community, reevaluates the situation, and determines that the forced repatriation of North Korean defectors brings more harm than benefit. Pray for an end to forced repatriation and compliance with the principle of non-refoulement under the UN Convention against Torture.
○ Pray for the safety and health of defectors currently undergoing forced repatriation. Ask that they may find an opportunity to believe in Jesus amid the harsh conditions and that they may be able to endure this entire process through the grace of the Lord.