At the North Korean border, Sari Savela learned how to touch people on the other side
A woman looks at North Korea from an observatory site at the South Korean border. Photo Canva.com, EPA, Jeon Heon-Kyun
Christian Life
A few days ago, our columnist Sari Savela stood at the border between North and South Korea. A moving experience, she writes in her article, especially because she knows that there is a way to cross the border.
Kim Kyung-Soo, who fled from North Korea to South Korea, visited Finland just under a year ago at the invitation of Open Doors. At an event held at the Finnish Parliament Annex, he told his story to media representatives. His face was not to be photographed, as North Korean agents have killed defectors even abroad.
Kyung-Soo, who had previously belonged to North Korea’s ruling elite, became an enemy of the state when he became a Christian. He was imprisoned and tortured for spreading the message of Christianity. He later managed to escape from North Korea and eventually made it to South Korea with his wife, where he now lives with his four children and spouse. He works as a pastor and ambassador of Open Doors.
During his visit to Finland, he urged his listeners to pray for North Korea.
Power
A few years ago, I bought an Open Doors T-shirt that says, “No doors are closed when we pray.” That’s right, no door, wall, power, or force can withstand our prayers. Prayer has tremendous power.
Last week, I had the opportunity to pray for North Korea at close distance when I visited the demilitarised zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea. During the guided tour, we learned about the history of the countries and the Korean War, which began in 1950. In principle, the war has never ended, as no peace agreement has been signed between the countries; there has only been a ceasefire in effect since 1953.
One nation, two countries. The border divides two countries, one highly developed and the other extremely poor. The division of the Korean people is a great tragedy. There are many families with relatives on both sides of the border, but they have no opportunity to meet each other.
Execution
The border between South and North Korea is perhaps one of the most dangerous in the world. Though the zone itself is demilitarised, the zone’s borders on both sides are some of the most heavily militarised borders in the world.
Escaping from North Korea is now more difficult than ever. According to our DMZ tour guide, several thousand people used to flee to South Korea every year. Today, the number is only in the tens. Escaping is extremely dangerous, and if caught, the consequence is prison camp or even execution.
For Christians, North Korea is the most dangerous country in the world. Christians there face extreme persecution and are considered enemies of society.
Visiting the border was a very moving and impressive experience. I saw with my own eyes the fake villages built near the border, the North Korean flag on a flagpole, and people’s settlements. With some luck, I could have also seen a North Korean soldier in his watchtower.
Tunnels
I also got to visit one of the four tunnels that North Koreans had dug under the demilitarised zone. Four tunnels have been found, but there are probably many more.
All empires of injustice will eventually fall. The same will happen to the cruel dictatorship in North Korea. Let us pray for the people of North Korea. No doors are closed when we pray! And let us remember how privileged we (most) Europeans are because we have freedom of faith and word.
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