“The Chinese government’s continued crackdown on local churches across the country is well known, but its specific efforts against churches serving minority populations, like churches ministering to North Koreans in China’s northeast region, has largely escaped international notice,” says Voice of the Martyrs Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley.  

She says that during one recent raid, a Chinese house church had all their Korean language Bibles and papers with Korean writing on them confiscated. “All the North Korean women who had been attending that church were required by a state security official to show their faces every morning through their phone,” says Representative Foley. She adds that the North Korean women were also restricted from traveling to other regions.  

According to Representative Foley, Chinese authorities are now closely watching North Koreans who may have the intent to defect to South Korea and has renewed repatriation of North Koreans back to North Korea.  

“Chinese authorities are seeking to isolate North Korean women from foreign influence by encouraging them not to interact with South Koreans or even ethnically Korean Chinese people,” says Representative Foley. “The government is now rolling out new programs to grant benefits to North Korean women who quietly support their family in the home, including rewarding them with valid Chinese residency ID cards.” 

Representative Foley says that in the midst of authorities’ crackdown on churches, individual North Korean women remain the primary stable ministry to other North Korean women in China.  

“The most effective ministers to North Korean sex-trafficked women have always been other North Korean sex-trafficked women, not foreign missionaries or Chinese churches,” says Representative Foley. “It’s much harder for authorities to catch and stop individual North Korean women who are ministering to other North Korean women in their area, and Chinese officials are much less concerned about North Korean women interacting with other North Korean women.” She says that’s why her ministry focuses on training and resourcing North Korean women to share their faith with their North Korean sex-trafficked neighbors. 

“One of the North Korean women we trained told us, ‘We are still doing worship. I shared the [Voice of the Martyrs Korea sermons] that you sent and people said, “Where did you learn this good word?” Everyone heard and said they received grace’,” says Representative Foley. 

She shared the following additional testimonies from North Korean sex-trafficked women who had been evangelized by other North Korean sex-trafficked women trained by her ministry. 

1. “In Chosun, I never knew the name of God or even knew that God existed. Facing the March of Suffering and the growing challenges each day, my only thought was how to feed and save my family. As soon as I opened my eyes, I would take up my merchant’s bag and lived only by striving. How can I describe it? At that time, I tried to defect from North Korea and came to this land of China after experiencing a painful separation from my beloved hometown and my beloved brethren. Nothing was forgiving to me upon my coming. First of all, I couldn’t do anything because I couldn’t understand the language, and I couldn’t even eat a spoonful of rice that I wanted to eat because my lifestyle was different, and it was really a hellish life. In this way, I blamed myself every day. I had no choice but to go through life, and I spent 15 long years without thinking. However, as I lived for a long time, I met fellow Chosun compatriots, and in the process of meeting them, I was invited by one of my compatriots to join this [discipleship group of other North Korean sex-trafficked women]. I didn’t even know what it was, but I was so happy to meet my compatriots and rediscover the Korean language… Finally, I understood, I came to know what God is like. Later, I realized that my escape [from North Korea] was God’s calling… I am grateful to God for giving me the bright light of heaven when I was wandering in the world, and for finding the language I almost forgot and for finding songs, and dances. I pray that, in the future, I will praise more, make dances for those praise songs, and to only believe in and follow God alone. Amen.” – Sister A  

1. “When I came to China, I felt a lot of sadness, pain, and sorrow. I was always lonely, but my friend introduced me to this [discipleship group of North Korean sex-trafficked women] and I learned to sing hymns and received God’s grace. I learned many hymn songs, and I was able to express my troubled heart and pain to God in prayer, and I had peace in my heart. I will continue to give thanks to God and live my life believing in God alone. Amen.” – Sister B  

1. “Thank you, Heavenly Father. Before I knew God, I was wandering on the path of straying. Through this [discipleship group of North Korean sex-trafficked women], I learned God’s praises and received God’s grace to know Jesus better, who washed away my sins. I will continue to give thanks to God infinitely through God’s praise, and I will do my best to dedicate my body and soul to the Lord.” – Sister C  

1. “I couldn’t speak properly because of language differences living in a foreign land and I always lived as a sinner. Sometimes, I even thought about taking my life because I didn’t want to live. One day, I was introduced to this [discipleship group for North Korean sex-trafficked women] by a friend. From then on, I came to know God through praise songs to God, and I received a lot of God’s grace. I loved it. Praising God gave me great strength and I relied on it very much. Thank you for strengthening my heart and changing me to stand in faith, in the midst of constant tribulation and temptation. From now on, I will not forget God’s grace and love, and I will overcome the hardships and difficulties of the world with praise.” – Sister D  

Individuals or churches interested in supporting Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s North Korea ministry can make a donation at www.vomkorea.com/en/donate or wire transfer to:  

국민은행 (KB Bank) 463501-01-243303  

예금주 (Account Holder): (사)순교자의소리  

Please include the phrase “NK Ministry” with the donation.