Jan_week2 2026 North Korea Prayer
1. "We just wanted to eat our fill"... Controversy over harsh punishment for students who stole crops)
A screen capture of a North Korean video titled "Let us wage a more intense struggle to sweep away all types of anti-socialist and non-socialist phenomena from the capital." The scene is presumed to show individuals being publicly criticized for violating the Law on Rejecting Reactionary Ideology and Culture. (Photo unrelated to the specific article / Photo = Daily NK)
▶ ▶ Article Summary
Fifteen students attending a senior middle school in Bongcheon County were reportedly caught and sentenced to labor training for stealing crops. Authorities pointed out that their crime was not simple theft but a matter of political ideology; however, residents are criticizing the sentence as "too harsh." The public trial for these male students was attended by fellow students, faculty, and even the parents. The students, children of poor farmworkers, had broken into a farm warehouse at night to steal grain to sell at the market to buy shoes and clothes. When asked why they committed the crime, they reportedly answered, "I wanted to wear a nice set of clothes before joining the army," "Our house was so poor I wanted to help my parents by making money this way," and "I just wanted to eat a full meal with my friends." The court sentenced them to one year in a labor training camp and declared that they would be barred from military service and instead assigned to "hardship sites" such as coal mines after their release. During the trial, the 15 students kept their heads bowed, unable to look up, while their parents wept throughout. A source stated, "They punished an act committed out of hunger and poverty as a political example." [ Jan 2, 2026 / Daily NK ]
▶ ▶ Prayer Points
"The Lord... executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free." (Psalm 146:6-7)
Fifteen poor North Korean high school students from farmworking families were sentenced to one year of labor training for stealing crops. Lord, have mercy on these North Korean students who were driven to crime by hunger and poverty. May the North Korean regime's inhumane acts of using students as tools for political oppression come to an end.
May normal leaders and a government be established soon that prioritize using national finances—currently wasted on military build-up (nuclear and missile development) and the deification of the Kim family—for the food supply and livelihoods of the people.
Personally provide daily bread to North Koreans and protect their health during the cold winter. Until the day of Gospel Unification comes when they can freely believe in Jesus, please guard and protect the lives and health of the North Korean people.
2. Reporting on cohabitation and watching South Korean films... NK strengthens mutual surveillance
A flyer distributed in Sinuiju, North Pyongan Province, encouraging the reporting of explosives. / Photo = Daily NK
▶ ▶ Article Summary
North Korean authorities are tightening the reins on surveillance and control. Sources report that the regime is strengthening the "Inminban" (neighborhood watch) meetings and emphasizing mutual surveillance and reporting systems. At year-end meetings held by Women's Union committees in various regions, it was repeatedly emphasized that acts deviating from the socialist lifestyle must be keenly monitored. Examples of "anti-socialist lifestyles" subject to reporting include: ▲ cohabitation without marriage registration, ▲ earning money privately by renting land or buildings, ▲ possessing or distributing "exotic" items, and ▲ being immersed in foreign information prohibited by law. The authorities view goods from South Korea and overseas, as well as South Korean movies, dramas, and songs, as conspiratorial plots threatening the regime. The authorities announced that those who discover and report such lifestyles will receive material and political rewards, as well as opportunities for tours or field trips to Pyongyang and major tourist sites. Conversely, they warned that failing to report a witnessed incident could result in more than three months of unpaid labor, labor education punishment, or dismissal from office under Article 48 of the Public Reporting Law. Sources state that residents are experiencing significant fatigue from this constant surveillance and reporting. [ Dec 31, 2025 / Daily NK ]
▶ ▶ Prayer Points
"The Lord said, 'I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings.'" (Exodus 3:7)
Authorities are forcing people to inform on cohabitation, South Korean media consumption, and private economic activities through Inminban meetings, with punishments like unpaid labor for those who fail to report. Have mercy on the lives of North Koreans who must monitor and report on each other just to survive. May the evil control system that breeds distrust and surveillance collapse.
May the "Law on Rejecting Reactionary Ideology and Culture," which punishes the consumption of foreign media as a regime threat, and the "Public Reporting Law," which mandates informing, be abolished.
May the light and truth of the Gospel reach the residents of North Korea. By soon achieving a liberal democratic Gospel Unification, may the bonds of wickedness and the yokes of the North Korean people under a system of oppression and lies be broken, and may they find liberation and freedom.
3. Rodong Sinmun now easily accessible in libraries... Government formalizes name change from 'North Korean Defector' to 'Bukhyangmin'
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young gives a post-briefing on his work report at the Government Complex Seoul on the 19th. / Photo = News1
▶ ▶ Article Summary
Starting December 30, the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea’s Workers' Party, will be freely available at major domestic libraries. As the Ministry of Unification reclassified the paper from "special material" to "general material," it can now be easily found and read like any other periodical at the National Library of Korea, the National Assembly Library, and national university libraries. Previously, it required storage in a separate space, verification of identity and purpose, and the submission of a pledge. The government plans to expand these viewing points to regional libraries. Online, legal amendments are being pursued to lift the block on approximately 60 North Korea-related sites, including the Rodong Sinmun and the Korean Central News Agency. Additionally, the Ministry of Unification has decided to phase out the official term "Talbukmin" (North Korean Defector) in favor of "Bukhyangmin" (People from the Northern Hometown). The government and local authorities will begin using the term in January, encouraging its spread to the private sector and considering legal changes. However, there is backlash and concern within the defector community regarding the name change. A survey of defectors showed that even if a change were to occur, many preferred the term "Jayumin" (Free Person) over "Bukhyangmin." [ Dec 30, 2025 / JoongAng Ilbo ]
▶ ▶ Prayer Points
"He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner therefore." (Deuteronomy 10:18-19)
While the government is leading the change of the official name for North Korean defectors, the defector community itself is expressing backlash and concern. May the identity and dignity of the defectors not be harmed amidst changes in terminology and policy trends. May the government implement policies that reflect the opinions of the defectors themselves.
May the defectors settle safely without being isolated in our society, and above all, may they be saved by believing in Jesus and be used honorably as a bridgehead for Gospel Unification.
May the church and its members dedicate themselves to praying for North Korea and serving defectors. May the next generation learn and prepare for unification not with fear, but from the perspective of the Kingdom of God.
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