North Koreans repatriated from China who have interacted with Christians are being sent to political prisoner camps in North Korea, according to the latest report by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The report, "Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians Oppressed for their Faith 2022-24," was released during ACN’s Red Week initiative, which highlights global religious persecution.

The 2024 edition focuses on 18 countries, including North Korea, where Christianity is treated as a threat to the communist regime. Ruled by the Kim dynasty since 1948, North Korea enforces strict adherence to Juche—an ideology of Marxist self-reliance crafted by its founder, Kim Il-Sung. ACN estimates that Christians make up just 0.38% of the population, or around 98,000 people. Despite their small numbers, Christians are forced to practice their faith clandestinely due to the severe persecution they face.

Many North Koreans risk their lives to escape the oppressive regime, often crossing the 880-mile border with China before seeking asylum in a third country, such as Thailand. However, those apprehended by Chinese authorities face deportation back to North Korea, where dire consequences await.

According to ACN, defectors repatriated in October 2023 who had any interaction with Christians while outside the country were sent directly to political prisoner camps. These camps are notorious for inhumane treatment, with internment often equating to a life sentence without parole for those associated with Christianity.

Citing anonymous sources, the report reveals that North Korean security forces rely on information provided by Chinese police during interrogations of repatriated defectors. Any mention of religion in these files leads to immediate imprisonment in political camps, regardless of the defectors' testimonies.

In North Korea, citizens are classified based on their loyalty to the state, and Christians are automatically considered part of the “hostile class.” ACN describes North Korea as “the worst country in the world to be a Christian,” with believers facing relentless persecution that affects every aspect of their lives.

While human rights violations are widespread across North Korea, Christians and followers of Mugyo, a traditional shamanic religion, endure the harshest forms of oppression, according to the U.S. State Department.

Despite the grim conditions, stories of faith and resilience emerge. Illyong Ju, a North Korean defector turned Christian, shared with ACN that repatriated defectors are often coerced to disclose information about other defectors yet to be returned to North Korea.

However, Ju expressed hope in the transformative power of faith, highlighting stories like that of Sister Kim, who evangelized eight fellow prisoners while incarcerated in a North Korean jail following her forced repatriation.

“There will be people who believe in Jesus and who will spread the Gospel wherever they go,” said Ju. “We have faith that those forcibly returned to North Korea will become amazing members of God’s People, rising against the oppression of the North Korean regime.”

ACN’s report urges the global community to remain vigilant about the plight of Christians in North Korea. As the report underscores, the resilience of believers offers hope for a future where faith can thrive despite the oppression of the regime.