Persecuted Nation: North Korea

Ever since the Communist revolution of 1949 the government of North Korea has been keeping Songbun files of every person in the country. These files include anything significant – good or bad – for the last three generations of each person including any possible allegiances. This information determines the status of each person; what and where they can eat, where they can live and what jobs they can have. 

There are three different categories of files: Core, Basic and Complex. The Core are the military and the elite of society, they are the people who make the laws and other important decisions. The Complex are those who the government decides they don’t like and ‘consider a threat to society. All other people are classed in the Basic section. 
If you are a confessing Christian you are automatically a Complex being a threat to the stability of the nation. North Korea is the country in which persecution is worst for Christians. It is estimated that 30,000 believers are suffering in the prison camps of North Korea, some of them just because they were found to have a bible. Quoting scripture and meeting together as Christians are both punishable by death

Others, even those who aren’t Christian, can be sent to prison camps for using a sheet of newspaper to mop up a spilt drink - the sheet happened to have a picture of the leader of North Korea on it – also for many other ‘abuses of the government’ or just because the leader feels you a threat or someone else in the family is not considered loyal. North Korea claims to have ‘freedom of religion.’
 

1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

For more on North Korea see: Voice of the Martyrs ~ Open Doors 

Remember - Jesus is worth dying for!