Sep week3 Prayer for North Korea

1.North Korean Female Soldiers Resort to Pregnancy to be Discharged from Service

▶ ▶ Summary of the Article

Due to the deteriorating supply of goods and harsh living conditions in the North Korean military after the COVID-19 pandemic, some female soldiers have not hesitated to become pregnant in order to be discharged. However, many reports indicate that the military authorities often force these women to undergo abortions and continue their service. In North Korea, where there is a significant push to enlist more women due to a shortage of military personnel, a source from South Hamgyong Province recently reported that a female soldier became pregnant intentionally, hoping to be sent home. The 19-year-old soldier, who enlisted at 17, struggled to adapt to military life and believed that getting pregnant would allow her to be honorably discharged and return home. However, being discharged under these conditions is considered dishonorable, leading to disadvantages such as being excluded from joining the Workers' Party and being assigned to difficult tasks.

According to the source, although the soldier likely intended to endure public humiliation in order to return home, her plan was thwarted. The authorities forced her to undergo an abortion, and she was publicly criticized for failing to conduct herself properly as both a soldier and a woman. Afterward, she was transferred to another unit to continue her military service.

[September 12, 2024. Radio Free Asia / Read Article https://buly.kr/FWRWH6k]

▶ ▶ Prayer Requests

“The Lord says, ‘Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise. I will protect them from those who malign them.’” (Psalm 12:5)

• In North Korea, males are required to serve 10 years in the military, while females serve 5-6 years. Some female soldiers, unable to endure the harsh conditions, resort to intentional pregnancy in hopes of being discharged, but the military forces them to undergo abortions and continue their service. Lord, please have mercy on the North Korean women who are forced into military service, living like slaves to sustain the regime.
• Lord, we pray that the youth in North Korea will no longer be subjected to a decade of compulsory military service where they suffer human rights abuses and live as slaves. May the reunification of Korea under the banner of freedom and democracy come soon.
• Through broadcasts like those from the loudspeakers at the North Korean border, may North Korean soldiers come to understand the lies and contradictions of their regime. May they see the reality of South Korea and long for freedom and democracy, hastening the day of reunification.

2. Residents Outraged as Shock Troops Dig Up Small Gardens under the Pretext of Mud Harvesting

▶ ▶ Summary of the Article

There are growing tensions as shock troops deployed for flood recovery in North Korea are indiscriminately digging up residents' small plots of land to collect mud, a key construction material. The provincial shock troops, tasked with building 1,000 homes in Gangun-ri by October 10, the anniversary of the Party's founding, are scouring areas near valleys and hillsides for mud. However, these areas are often where residents have cultivated their small garden plots. This is leading to conflicts between the shock troops, who urgently need mud for construction, and the residents, who are trying to protect the land they have painstakingly farmed.

Though these garden plots are not officially recognized as farmland, residents are expressing concerns that the indiscriminate digging is weakening the ground and increasing the risk of landslides during heavy rains. They are accusing the authorities of exacerbating the risk of natural disasters under the guise of flood recovery. Moreover, residents criticize the shock troops for demolishing undamaged buildings to rebuild them, suggesting that their focus is more on visible achievements rather than actual flood recovery.

[September 12, 2024. Daily NK / Read Article https://buly.kr/6XksFW9]

▶ ▶ Prayer Requests

“They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold, they make idols for themselves to their own destruction.” (Hosea 8:4)

• The North Korean authorities have mobilized shock troops for flood recovery, demanding they construct 1,000 homes by October 10 without providing adequate building materials. As a result, the troops are ruining residents' garden plots in their search for mud, further weakening the ground and heightening the risk of landslides. Lord, have mercy on our North Korean brothers and sisters suffering under a regime that exploits labor for propaganda purposes while neglecting to supply resources and strengthen the social safety net.
• Lord, please protect the health and safety of the North Korean people who are struggling due to flood damage. Provide for their daily needs, and may effective flood recovery efforts be carried out so that residents in flood-prone areas can live with peace of mind.
• May North Korea be blessed with leaders and a government that prioritize the lives, rights, and well-being of the people, ensuring that their basic needs for food, shelter, and safety are met.

3. North Korea Reveals HEU Production Facility for the First Time—Kim Jong-un Orders Increased Production of Nuclear Materials

▶ ▶ Summary of the Article

On September 13, North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) released photos of Kim Jong-un inspecting a facility for producing weapon-grade nuclear materials, highlighting the importance of increasing such production. This is the first time North Korea has revealed a facility for manufacturing highly enriched uranium (HEU), which is used in nuclear warheads. Analysts interpret this as a message aimed at the United States ahead of the presidential election, signaling that North Korea has no intention of denuclearizing and is pushing for nuclear arms reduction talks instead.

The released photos show a modern facility packed with cascades of centrifuges, crucial for producing HEU. During his visit, Kim Jong-un ordered the enhancement of the foundation for weapon-grade nuclear material production. On the same day, South Korea's military reported that North Korea launched multiple ballistic missiles, likely from a new type of super-large rocket launcher. Dr. Yang Wook from the Asan Institute for Policy Studies noted that the missile-launch vehicle was larger than before, with a six-tube launcher, suggesting North Korea is not only exponentially increasing nuclear material production but also showcasing its improved missile delivery capabilities. Meanwhile, Russian National Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu met with Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, which Russian authorities expect to significantly contribute to implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty signed by North Korea and Russia in June.

[September 13, 2024. VOA / Read Article https://buly.kr/6BvMHvW]

▶ ▶ Prayer Requests

“A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength, it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.” (Psalm 33:17-19)

• On September 13, North Korean media revealed a facility for producing highly enriched uranium for nuclear warheads, and Kim Jong-un called for increased production. Lord, we pray that all nuclear and missile developments by the Kim family’s three-generation dictatorship in North Korea will be completely neutralized.
• As the U.S. presidential election approaches on November 5, we ask that a leader like Cyrus be elected, one who will help bring about the reunification of Korea and the liberation of the North Korean people, so they can enjoy freedom and the gospel.
• We pray that the North Korean-Russian military alliance, along with all of North Korea's strategies for war, will be rendered foolish and ineffective.