Mar_week1 2026 North Korea Prayer
1. "Female Soldiers Face Frequent Abortions due to 'Sexual Favors'... North Korean Troops Starving Amid Kim Jong-un's Nuclear Development"
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) released data on North Korean military activities on the 27th. The photos show North Korean soldiers transporting casualties from a landmine explosion on a stretcher at the eastern front, along with smoke presumed to be from the blast. (Provided by JCS, March 27, 2025)
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Japanese media reported that 1.28 million North Korean soldiers are suffering from severe human rights violations amidst Kim Jong-un’s nuclear ambitions. Victims of the Kim dictatorship, these soldiers earn a monthly wage equivalent to the price of a single pack of cigarettes. Their side dishes consist only of "salted radishes," leading to frequent malnutrition and starvation. Discipline has collapsed among the hungry troops, and bribery or coerced sexual favors in exchange for career advancement are rampant. Forced labor is a daily reality; soldiers were recently mobilized for the construction of the Wonsan-Kalma coastal tourist zone hotels and the Pyongyang General Hospital, and for flood recovery in 2024. To solve food shortages, the regime extorts food from residents near military bases or construction sites, yet it remains woefully insufficient. There is a critical shortage of military supplies like uniforms and boots, as well as feminine hygiene products. Soldiers resort to theft from units or civilian homes and embezzle military supplies like fuel, to the point where specialized brokers exist to buy stolen fuel. Bribery and sexual favors are also used to secure placements in "better" units during Workers' Party membership applications. It is reported that male officers demand sexual favors from female soldiers, often leading to pregnancies and abortions. [Feb 23, 2026 / Seoul Shinmun]
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"The Lord said, 'I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.'" (Exodus 3:7)
Japanese media reports that 1.28 million North Korean soldiers suffer from severe human rights violations, earning only the price of a pack of cigarettes and eating only salted radishes, leading to frequent starvation. Lord, remember our North Korean brothers and sisters suffering under the Juche ideology and the idolization of the three-generation hereditary dictatorship. Especially, have mercy on the soldiers driven to crime due to forced labor, hunger, and poor conditions.
We hear of bribery and "sexual favors" occurring for better unit assignments, leading to pregnancy and abortion. May there be a change in North Korean society where such crimes are commonplace, so that ethics and morality are restored. May leaders and a regime be established that fear God, respect human rights and freedom, and prioritize the basic needs and livelihoods of the people.
2. "They call the General by name"... North Koreans Awakened by the 'Korean Wave' Enter 'Defiant' Mode
Public Execution of 30 Teenagers: North Koreans Risking Their Lives for Hallyu
▶ ▶ Article Summary
"In the past, people couldn't even utter the General's name, but now they call him by name and even curse when they are angry. In short, they have a 'do whatever you want' (defiant) mindset." Han Song-mi, who defected in 2011, described the recent atmosphere inside North Korea. Despite extreme reign of terror—including the execution of middle school students—the people's longing for the "Korean Wave" (South Korean culture) has exceeded the regime's control. She cited deep distrust of the regime as the background. "Many died during COVID-19, yet Kim Jong-un builds nuclear weapons. People in border areas know the astronomical costs involved and are incredibly angry." She also shared news that 30 middle school students were caught watching South Korean content during the mourning period for Kim Jong-il and are reportedly facing execution. She testified that back in 2009, she saw a man in his 20s executed for selling drama CDs. She noted that these "subversive recordings" give people living in isolation a sense of hope and possibility. Strict house searches at 2 or 3 AM have become routine. Ms. Han concluded, "There are simply no human rights there." [Feb 23, 2026 / News1]
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"The Lord... upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free." (Psalm 146:6-7)
May the North Korean regime acknowledge that they can no longer blindfold the people through crackdowns and punishment. May anti-human rights laws, including the "Reactionary Ideology and Culture Rejection Act," be abolished.
May information from the outside world and news from South Korea continue to spread, leading to a correct understanding of liberal democracy and market economies. May the "Jangmadang Generation" lead the change in perception within North Korea to hasten a peaceful unification based on liberal democracy and the Gospel. Above all, grant religious freedom so the people may hear the Gospel, be saved, and freely worship and evangelize.
3. March 1st Fasting Prayer Assembly: Gathering for the Nation, the People, and Gospel Unification
Intercession for the nation, fasting and prayer assembly on 3.1
Exodus 17:14 “Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it.”
▶ ▶ Article Summary
To mark the 107th anniversary of the March 1st Movement, a "March 1st Fasting Prayer Assembly for the Nation" will be held on the evening of the 1st at Kumnan Methodist Church. Co-hosted by Esther Prayer Movement and various Korean churches, the organizers stated, "It is meaningful to gather again to pray for our nation on the day Christians took the lead in declaring Korea's independence to the world." The first part includes a lecture by Professor Park Myung-soo on the spiritual significance of the movement, followed by a prayer session led by Lee Yong-hee. A special segment will focus on the rescue and repatriation of two North Korean soldiers captured during the war in Ukraine, featuring speeches by National Assembly member Park Choong-kwon and Professor Kang Dong-wan. The event will be broadcast live via YouTube. Lee Yong-hee remarked, "The March 1st Movement is not over. We will continue to cry out for 'North Korean Independence' until our brothers and sisters there gain freedom of faith." [Feb 28, 2026 / Kookmin Ilbo]
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"Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to it you." (Deuteronomy 32:7)
We thank You for the establishment of the Republic of Korea based on liberal democracy following the spirit of the March 1st Movement, for the revival of the church, economic development, and for making us a nation that serves the world with the Gospel.
May the Korean Church correctly teach the history of March 1st so that the legacy of faith is passed to the next generation. May the completion of the March 1st spirit—unification through freedom and the Gospel—be realized.
May the Republic of Korea be firmly established on God’s truth and justice across all sectors: politics, economy, education, and culture.
Through the prayer assembly, may the public conscience be awakened regarding the North Korean POWs in Ukraine, evolving into a national movement to rescue the 26 million people of North Korea. May the South Korean government do its best to take custody of these individuals, who are constitutionally South Korean citizens, and bring them home.
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