May week2 Prayer for North Korea

1. "Wanting to Live in Lower Floors Even Paying Bribes"… What's Happening in Kim Jong-un's Housing Complex?

▶ ▶ Article Summary:

In Pyongyang's Hwaseong District, which North Korea extensively publicized as having built 10,000 household residences, high-rise apartment buildings line the streets. According to Rodong Sinmun, the tallest apartment building has 40 floors, and amid Kim Jong-un's attendance, a spectacular nighttime completion ceremony was held on the 16th of last month. However, despite the high-rise buildings, it is reported that residents, in order to be assigned to lower floors rather than high floors, are giving bribes to officials, resulting in government censorship. Residents seek lower floors due to power shortages. Not only do elevators not operate due to electricity shortages, but water supply is also inadequate in high-rise buildings. Kim Sung-min, head of Free North Korea Broadcast, said, "If water doesn't come out, it's even more distressing. It's really difficult to handle urination and defecation while only thinking about drinks. Urine is fine, but (defecation) is actually terrible." High-rise residences, which North Korea promotes as Kim Jong-un's achievements, are facing a situation where residents, despite giving bribes, are opting to live on lower floors.

[ Read more: https://url.kr/ojimub ]

▶ ▶ Prayer Points:

"They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves—That they might be cut off" (Hosea 8:4).

○ Although North Korean authorities built high-rise apartments and publicized them for regime propaganda purposes, the reality is that residents' lives are terrible due to power shortages preventing elevators from operating and inadequate water supply to high floors, making toilet use impossible. Have mercy on North Korean residents who must live in poor housing conditions.

○ The Kim family's idolatrous propaganda portrays luxurious lifestyles for the privileged class, spending electricity even at night, while sacrificing the lives of ordinary residents as tools for regime propaganda, squandering state funds on nuclear missile development, etc. Lord, bring an end to the idolatrous regime of Kim Il-sung's Juche ideology and deification, and quickly end the three-generation hereditary dictatorship of the Kim family in the northern land.

○ Establish righteous leaders and regime in North Korea that respect the freedom and human rights of residents, prioritize food and livelihood solutions, and solve people's problems.

2. U.S. Prosecutors Rejected the Claim of "Innocence" Regarding Tornado Cash Accusations of Laundering... "Even After Recognizing North Korean Funds, They Remained Passive"

▶ ▶ Article Summary:

In a "motion to dismiss" regarding Roman Storm, co-founder of Tornado Cash, a mixer company accused of laundering cryptocurrency funds hacked by North Korea, U.S. federal prosecutors submitted an "opposition to motion to dismiss" and requested the court to continue proceedings. In the opposition, prosecutors pointed out that "the founders knew in April 2022 that Tornado Cash was laundering hundreds of millions of dollars in funds from the hacking crimes of North Korea's Lazarus Group, which was subject to sanctions, and they were aware that the wallet (account) was subject to sanctions." Tornado Cash, instead of taking measures to stop money laundering, avoided identity verification procedures for customer deposits by making nominal changes to the user interface (UI), effectively allowing North Korea's hacked funds to be left unattended. Since its establishment in 2019, Tornado Cash has been accused of assisting in laundering hundreds of millions of dollars in virtual currency stolen by North Korea's hacking organization Lazarus, serving as a "mixer" that mixes cryptocurrencies held by one person with those held by others and redistributes them. It facilitated "money laundering" by making it difficult to trace the specific path of cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, the North Korean Foreign Ministry claimed in a post on its website on February 7, 2022, that the U.S. was fabricating allegations of North Korea's virtual currency embezzlement.

[ Read more: https://url.kr/6xzn2p ]

▶ ▶ Prayer Points:

"Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel" (Proverbs 20:17)

○ The trial of the co-founder of Tornado Cash, a mixer company accused of aiding in the continuous money laundering of virtual currency stolen by North Korea, is currently ongoing in the United States. May the trial result be just, and may all companies involved in hacking organizations and money laundering associated with North Korea be exposed to light and receive the appropriate legal consequences.

○  May the international community unite to strongly respond to North Korea's illegal cyber theft activities. May the inflow of black money for the development and maintenance of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear missiles, be blocked.

○  May the gospel of freedom and democracy, which the Lord has prepared, be quickly realized so that both the North and the South may enjoy freedom and prosperity, worship God, and enjoy the blessings of evangelism and missionary work.

3."If China Neglects North Korea Nuclear Weapons Issue, a 'Nuclear Domino' for South Korea and Japan... China Must Consider the Pros and Cons"

▶ ▶ Article Summary:

Appearing on VOA's "Washington Talk," former National Security Council Senior Asia Advisor and Chandet-Avery, Director of Political Security at the Asia Society, boldly stated that if China neglects North Korea's nuclear issue, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan will sequentially arm themselves with nuclear weapons. Rather than vaguely appealing to China to play a constructive role, they emphasized the need to impress upon China this reality, advising that South Korea should show a confident attitude rather than a weak one to be more respected by China. While positively evaluating President Yoon Suk-yeol's diplomatic strategy of internationalizing the Taiwan issue, they also emphasized that militarily, President Yoon and South Korea should focus on the North Korean threat rather than getting involved in the Taiwan issue. The proliferation of nuclear weapons to U.S. ally countries such as South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan due to North Korea's nuclear weapons does not align with China's security interests. Therefore, instead of asking China for help in North Korea's denuclearization and provocation prevention, it is necessary to approach this from the perspective that it is in China's interest. The trilateral partnership between the United States, South Korea, and Japan, especially as a result of President Yoon's political determination, should be institutionalized. Former Advisor Wilder also stated that China respects strength, not weakness, so it is desirable for the Yoon Suk-yeol government to stand up to China differently from past South Korean governments.

[ Read more: https://url.kr/73idsx ]

▶ ▶ Prayer Points:

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

○ Lord, may the U.S. government logically persuade China to take the right diplomatic stance, urging China to adopt a wise policy toward North Korea that opposes its nuclear weapons and brings stability to the region.

○ U.S. experts on Asian security highly evaluate President Yoon Suk-yeol's political determination to strengthen the trilateral cooperation between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan. May the trilateral cooperation be institutionalized to solidify the security order in the Asia-Pacific region, including South Korea.

○ May the President and government maintain a balanced diplomacy, pursuing economic interests with China while maintaining appropriate firmness in security and human rights issues such as North Korea's nuclear weapons. May South Korea continue to foster a healthy relationship with China for regional stability in the future.