{"id":59589,"date":"2026-06-30T11:43:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T02:43:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=59589"},"modified":"2026-06-30T12:00:42","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T03:00:42","slug":"vomk-report-405","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2026\/06\/30\/vomk-report-405\/","title":{"rendered":"RUSSIA: PROSECUTOR TO CLAIM DETAINED KOREAN MISSIONARY \u201cFORCED\u201d CHILDREN TO PRAY"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”59591″ img_size=”full” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Voice of the Martyrs Korea, the persecution watchdog ministry which has been advocating for Korean missionary Park Tae Yeon since her arrest in Khabarovsk, Russia in January, has learned that the prosecutor will claim that she \u201cforced\u201d children who stayed with her to pray. The ministry says it believes a psychiatrist may be called to testify about the impact of the alleged \u201cforced\u201d religious behavior on the children.” 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=””]\u201cThis is not an uncommon strategy by Russian authorities,\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs Representative Dr<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Hyun Sook Foley. \u201cIn\u00a0<\/span>prior incidents involving Protestants, they\u00a0<\/span>have claimed that various Protestant practices\u2014singing, praying, taking an offering, preaching\u2014are designed to put participants in a vulnerable psychological state\u00a0<\/span>in order to<\/span>\u00a0brainwash them. They claim that participants are unwittingly subject to unhealthy psychological pressure or coercion to accept values and actions that are contrary to traditional Russian society.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley says that even though the<\/span>\u00a0claims of the children are not directly tied to the immigration-related charges Missionary Park is facing, the claims could affect the court\u2019s assessment of the seriousness of the charges.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”57528″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Ms. Park Tae-yeon has been living with a sincere love for the country of Russia and its people since she arrived there in 1993.” 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=””]\u201cThe prosecutor may claim that because minors were involved, the court cannot dismiss the charges against Missionary Park<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span><\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cAlso, the prosecutor may use the testimony to claim that the reason Missionary Park engaged in these alleged immigration violations was to recruit people to her religious doctrines. As Voice of the Martyrs Korea has said since Missionary Park was first arrested in January,\u00a0<\/span>public\u00a0<\/span>statements\u00a0<\/span>in the media\u00a0<\/span>by Khabarovsk officials raise concerns that the charges against her are religiously motivated, even though the charges themselves are not religious.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley says she expects that Missionary Park\u2019s attorney will\u00a0<\/span>dispute any testimony of wrongdoing by the missionary. \u201cWe believe that Missionary Park\u2019s 33 years of selfless service in Russia demonstrate her true character, and that any testimony against her will be disproved accordingly,\u201d says Representative Foley.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]According to Representative Foley,\u00a0<\/span>Missionary Park\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>case is now with the Khabarovsk prosecutor, and the missionary\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>trial<\/span>, which was originally expected to take place in May, will\u00a0<\/span>now\u00a0<\/span>likely\u00a0<\/span>take place in early July.\u00a0<\/span>Missionary Park faces a possible total 17 years in prison on\u00a0<\/span>three\u00a0<\/span>immigration-related charges.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley says Voice of the Martyrs Korea is concerned that the delay<\/span>\u00a0in\u00a0<\/span>the trial date\u00a0<\/span>may have been due to investigators using the case against Missionary Park as an opportunity to gather information which\u00a0<\/span>could potentially\u00a0<\/span>be used in\u00a0<\/span>other,\u00a0<\/span>future\u00a0<\/span>legal\u00a0<\/span>actions by authorities against\u00a0<\/span>Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith (Pentecostals) of Russia<\/span>, the denomination which has partnered with Child Evangelism Fellowship organization in Russia<\/span>\u00a0for some activities<\/span><\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”57555″ 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 Korea has learned that Child Evangelism Fellowship is not mentioned in Missionary Park\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>indictment<\/span>, says Representative Foley.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span><\/span>These\u00a0<\/span>possible future legal issues don\u2019t\u00a0<\/span>relate to Missionary Park\u2019s case, but they do relate to the growing difficulties Protestant Christians in Russia<\/span>\u00a0are facing from authorities<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201c<\/span><\/span>Earlier this year, Russian authorities declared Mission Eurasia, the large European mission agency, as an \u2018undesirable\u2019 organization<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>That designation bans an organization from\u00a0<\/span>operating<\/span>\u00a0in Russia and prevents Russian citizens from\u00a0<\/span>participating<\/span>\u00a0in any activities related to the organization, even subjecting them to criminal liability. A religious organization can also be declared as an \u2018extremist\u2019 organization, which enables their assets to be seized, their Internet\u00a0<\/span>presence blocked, their activities banned, and participants criminally prosecuted.\u00a0<\/span>We want to be clear that t<\/span>o this point, neither the Pentecostal Union nor Child Evangelism Fellowship have been declared \u2018undesirable\u2019 or \u2018extremist\u2019<\/span>\u00a0by Russian authorities<\/span>, and a series of steps would have to occur\u00a0<\/span>in order for<\/span>\u00a0that to happen. But the broad and extensive investigation surrounding what are legally very narrow immigration charges\u00a0<\/span>against Missionary Park\u00a0<\/span>raises serious concerns<\/span>\u00a0for others in the\u00a0<\/span>future<\/span>, in our\u00a0<\/span>opinion<\/span><\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley\u00a0<\/span>says that legislative amendments passed in Russia in July 2025 related to the extremist organization designation have\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>drawn the attention of Christian watchdog groups like Voice of the Martyrs Korea.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]\u201cAs a result of the amendments,<\/span>\u00a0an organization may be\u00a0<\/span>designated<\/span>\u00a0as\u00a0<\/span>extremist<\/span>\u00a0if at least one of its participants has been recognized by a court as the\u00a0<\/span>leader or member<\/span>\u00a0of extremist\u00a0<\/span>activities<\/span>. We understand that in Russia, one of the indicators of being\u00a0<\/span>designated<\/span>\u00a0as extremist is when a person\u00a0<\/span>states<\/span>\u00a0that their religion is the only true faith and that all other religions are evil<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”59593″ 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=””]She says it remains to be seen\u00a0<\/span>how authorities will apply these amendments<\/span>. \u201cA court decision is still\u00a0<\/span>required<\/span>\u00a0to declare an organization as extremist, and until that happens,\u00a0<\/span>we\u00a0<\/span>won\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0know what affect the amendments will have on Christians. But every individual case against a Christian in Russia is important because\u00a0<\/span>it sets precedents for how future cases will be investigated and tried.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Representative Foley says that\u00a0<\/span>Missionary Park continues to be held in a temporary detention center for foreigners in Khabarovsk<\/span>, with her detention formally extended until July 16. Further extensions are expected to continue at least until her trial is completed<\/span>, she says.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]In April, t<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span>court<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>dismissed a c<\/span>assation appeal\u00a0<\/span>filed\u00a0<\/span>by\u00a0<\/span>Missionary Park\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>attorney\u00a0<\/span>last\u00a0<\/span>regarding<\/span>\u00a0the seizure of<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>her\u00a0<\/span>home by authorities as part of an investigation<\/span><\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Representative Foley says that Missionary Park\u2019s attorney plans to appeal the dismissal.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]An online petition posted by Voice of the Martyrs Korea from February to April garnered more than 4,000 signatures from Korea, along with more than 1,000 signatures from Russia, Ukraine, the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Brazil, Africa, Finland, Zimbabwe, Poland, Hungary, Indonesia, Romania, Nigeria, Scotland, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]In April,\u00a0<\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0Dr<\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Hyun Sook Foley and CEO Pastor Eric Foley\u00a0<\/span>deliver<\/span>ed<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0petition to the Russian Embassy in Seoul<\/span><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>calling for the\u00a0<\/span>missionary\u2019s\u00a0<\/span>immediate release.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Copies of the petition were also sent to the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=””]Park Tae Yeon is a Korean missionary who was arrested in Khabarovsk, Russia January 15, one week before she was scheduled to return home to Korea to retire at age 70. Authorities fined the missionary for overstaying her visa, despite the overstay being due to her detainment by Russian authorities.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”59591″ img_size=”full” css=””][vc_custom_heading text=”Voice of the Martyrs Korea, the persecution watchdog ministry which has been advocating for Korean missionary Park Tae Yeon since her arrest in Khabarovsk, Russia in …","protected":false},"author":1959,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":false,"content":false,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1959"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59589"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59703,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59589\/revisions\/59703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}