Seoul: Life continues to be extremely difficult for Christians in North Korea, where even owning a Bible can lead to arrest, harsh punishment, and confinement in political prison camps known as kwan li so. Human rights organisations say thousands of believers remain imprisoned in these facilities, facing conditions described as among the worst in the world.

Reports from Open Doors and other international groups say that Christian faith is treated as a serious crime by the North Korean government. Anyone found participating in prayer meetings, secretly reading scripture, or having contact with Christian groups abroad can be arrested without warning. Many are taken away in the night, and their families often disappear with them.

Those who are detained are usually sent to kwan li so, which are large political labour camps designed for people considered enemies of the state.

These camps are known for forced labour, starvation, torture, and a lack of medical care. Former prisoners say release from these camps is rare and that most detainees spend the rest of their lives inside. Children born in the camps also grow up imprisoned, with no knowledge of life outside.

Human rights monitors have reported that between fifty thousand and seventy thousand Christians are currently held in these facilities. The government’s strict “anti reactionary thought laws,” introduced in recent years, have made conditions even worse. The laws allow harsh sentences for anyone possessing foreign material or religious texts, making Christian worship almost impossible.

Witness reports also reveal that many North Koreans who escape to China and are later forced back are placed under heavy interrogation. If Chinese authorities find evidence that they met with Christians or visited churches, they are sent directly to political camps on their return.

Amnesty International and the United Nations have repeatedly urged North Korea to end the practice of imprisoning people for their faith, but Pyongyang denies the allegations and restricts access to these sites. Satellite images and testimony from former guards, however, show that the camps remain active and heavily guarded.

Human rights groups say the situation continues to be one of the most severe examples of religious persecution in the world today. They warn that without international pressure and greater transparency, thousands of North Korean Christians will continue to live and die inside prison camps with little hope of release.