{"id":57526,"date":"2026-02-04T11:29:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T02:29:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=57526"},"modified":"2026-02-13T17:00:33","modified_gmt":"2026-02-13T08:00:33","slug":"vomk-report-384","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2026\/02\/04\/vomk-report-384\/","title":{"rendered":"ONLINE PETITION SEEKS RELEASE OF RETIRING KOREAN MISSIONARY FROM RUSSIAN PRISON"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”57540″ img_size=”full” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Update: Missionary Park was taken away from her home by masked law enforcement agents at 11 a.m. February 4. They refused to say where she was going. Fortunately, a local pastor was able to work with local attorneys to find her. She has been taken to a detention center for foreigners because her visa expired January 24. By the grace of God, arrangements are now being finalized for proper legal representation for her. ” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left|color:%23111111″ google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” css=”” el_class=”headline”][vc_custom_heading text=”Update: Missionary Park has been moved from the detention center to house arrest after submitting a pledge not to leave Russia until the end of the investigation. The charges against her remain unchanged.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left|color:%23111111″ google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” css=”” el_class=”headline”][vc_custom_heading text=”Update: Voice of the Martyrs Korea confirms that Ms. Park met for 40 minutes with a representative from the Korean consulate on the afternoon of February 3.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left|color:%23111111″ google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” css=”” el_class=”headline”][vc_custom_heading text=”Ms. Park Tae-Yeon had her plane ticket purchased to return from Khabarovsk to Korea to retire at the age of 70 after 33 years of what she described as being \u201cmarried to Russia\u201d. However, authorities blocked her return home, arresting her on January 15 on immigration-related charges. Persecution watchdog organization Voice of the Martyrs Korea says the immigration charges are Russia\u2019s way of diverting attention from what they say is a basic violation of religious freedoms. They\u2019ve posted an online petition to the Russia Ambassador to Korea demanding Ms. Park\u2019s immediate release, and they are urging all Korean Christians to sign it.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left|color:%23111111″ google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” css=”” el_class=”headline”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]The petition can be accessed at https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/petition-2026<\/a>.<\/span><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”57550″ img_size=”large” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Press conference held at the Jeongneung office of Voice of the Martyrs Korea.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]At a press conference today at V<\/span>o<\/span>ice of the Martyrs Korea<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>s\u00a0<\/span>Jeongneung<\/span>\u00a0office, the organization<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>s founders, Pastor Eric Foley and Dr<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Hyun Sook Foley, expressed concern for Ms. Park<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>s health as well as what they described as\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>the declining health of religious freedom in Russia<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”57529″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Screenshot of the article on the ria.ru website (https:\/\/ria.ru\/20260123\/habarovsk-2069843523.html)” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”57531″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Screenshot of the petition urging the release of Ms. Park Tae-Yeon” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span><\/span>Ms.\u00a0<\/span>Park Tae-<\/span>yeon<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>was arrested on\u00a0<\/span>an immigration-related offense<\/span>, but numerous reports on state-affiliated Russian media show that authorities are prosecuting a much broader case against her publicly,<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0says Pastor Eric Foley. He highlighted\u00a0<\/span>a report on January 23, 2026<\/span><\/span>,<\/span><\/span>\u00a0by the state-affiliated Russian media outlet RIA,\u00a0<\/span>which\u00a0<\/span>cites a Khabarovsk city official who\u00a0<\/span>told of a\u00a0<\/span>months-long investigation by law enforcement agencies into religious camps for children in Khabarovsk<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>That\u00a0<\/span>report says, \u201cAs a result of the investigation, the activities of a citizen of the Republic of Korea, who carried out missionary work while hiding behind plausible goals, were stopped.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201cMs. Park is clearly among those targeted<\/span>\u00a0by that investigation,<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0says Pastor Foley<\/span>. \u201cBy legally charging her with an immigration-related violation but prosecuting a much broader case against her through state-affiliated media, authorities\u00a0<\/span>are\u00a0<\/span>prevent<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0Ms. Park, her family, and her representatives from understanding the\u00a0<\/span>full scope of the real\u00a0<\/span>case against her<\/span>. They are also preventing Ms. Park from\u00a0<\/span>accessing\u00a0<\/span>appropriate legal<\/span>\u00a0resources for her defense.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Further, the immigration charge against Ms. Park shields the Russian Federation from international accountability for its growing crackdown on basic religious freedoms in violation of established international norms.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]The Russian media reports claim that Korean missionaries brainwashed children, forcing them to copy the\u00a0<\/span>B<\/span>ible\u00a0<\/span>for hours. A Khabarovsk city official cited in the reports claims that\u00a0<\/span>\u201cideas alien to Russian traditional values were imposed on children under the pretext of education and training\u201d<\/span>\u00a0and that the\u00a0<\/span>ultimate goal<\/span>\u00a0was to take the children to Korea.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”57535″ img_size=”large” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Screenshot of the video published by Readovka.news” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”57534″ img_size=”large” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Screenshot of the video published by Readovka.news” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Voice of the Martyrs Representative Dr<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Hyun Sook Foley calls those charges\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>ridiculous<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span><\/span>Ms.\u00a0<\/span>Park Tae-<\/span>yeon<\/span>\u00a0has been living with a sincere love for the country of Russia and its people since\u00a0<\/span>she arrived there\u00a0<\/span>in 1993. She has no prior criminal history. She has lived her whole life as a single person and has devoted herself to the locals for 33 years, to the point where she says she is married to Russia. She has practiced\u00a0<\/span>a life of caring<\/span>\u00a0for her neighbors, and her pure spirit of service has become an example for many people around h<\/span>er<\/span>. Park Tae-<\/span>yeon<\/span>\u00a0is a transparent and good person like a child, without political ideology or impure purpose.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]The Foleys criticized the Russian media reports for their portrayal of international ministry organization Child Evangelism Fellowship as brainwashing or pressuring children.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span><\/span>Child Evangelism Fellowship has been operating around the world for more than 75 years, and they openly share their methods of evangelism through their website and books and training programs,<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0says Pastor Foley.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>They have extensive training programs to ensure that children are never\u00a0<\/span>pressure<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0or coerce<\/span>d<\/span>, and\u00a0<\/span>they make sure that\u00a0<\/span>the wishes of\u00a0<\/span>children<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>s\u00a0<\/span>parents or guardians<\/span>\u00a0are always followed.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Pastor Foley says the videos released by Russian media which allegedly show Ms. Park and others interacting with children in Bible-related activities disprove the allegations of coercion.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”57536″ img_size=”medium” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Screenshot of the video published by Readovka.news” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0101|line_height:1.45em” css=””][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span><\/span>When you watch the videos, you\u00a0<\/span>don<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>t<\/span>\u00a0see tired children being brainwashed. You see children laughing and having\u00a0<\/span>a great time<\/span><\/span>,<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0says Pastor Foley.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/span>Child Evangelism Fellowship always says that children have a right to hear the gospel if they\u00a0<\/span>desire<\/span>. That is one of many religious freedoms that Russia is gradually taking away from its citizens, and they are hiding that from the international community by accusing Christians of evil intentions and by imprisoning Ms. Park instead of letting her return home to retire after 33 years of\u00a0<\/span>genuine, caring service to the people of<\/span>\u00a0Russia.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]The Foleys say that Ms. Park has so far been denied access to the Korean consulate, which they note is a violation of\u00a0<\/span>Article 36 of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]The Foleys say they will exhaust every effort to see Ms. Park freed. Voice of the Martyrs Korea has posted\u00a0<\/span>an online petition at https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/petition-2026<\/a><\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>They<\/span><\/span>\u2019<\/span><\/span>re<\/span>\u00a0urging all Korean Christians to sign it as soon as possible. They plan\u00a0<\/span>on delivering<\/span>\u00a0the petition to the Russian Embassy shortly after Chinese New Year, with copies also being sent to the\u00a0<\/span>South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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