NORTH KOREA: CHURCH LEADER RELEASED AFTER 11 YEARS

good news from North Korea! a church leader from China has been released after more than a decade in prison. 

Deacon Jang* – also known by his Chinese name, Zhang Wen Si – is an ethnic Korean Chinese citizen from a town on the Chinese side of the border with North Korea. Before his arrest, he was known for providing support and aid to North Koreans who crossed into China in search of food, medicine and temporary shelter. He also shared his Christian faith with those who returned repeatedly. 

Jang was last seen in November 2014. After receiving phone calls from North Koreans requesting assistance, he went to the border river to meet them, but he never returned. Jang was abducted and taken into North Korea. 

He was later sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges including ‘defaming the regime’ and ‘attempting to incite subversion’ – accusations linked to his Christian work among North Korean visitors. His case drew international concern, particularly after the 2016 killing of his fellow border minister, Pastor Han Chung-Ryeol*, in circumstances widely believed to have involved North Korean agents. 

According to Prisoner Alert, an advocacy organisation, Jang was released on 5 November 2025. No official explanation has been given for the decision. His release is notable, as individuals detained for religious reasons – especially foreign-linked Christians – are rarely freed early or returned to their home countries. According to local sources, Jang is now recovering with his family in China, but is mentally and physically exhausted. 

“Helping North Koreans is extremely risky” 

Simon Lee*, Open Doors’ coordinator for ministry among North Koreans, expressed gratitude that the faithful deacon has returned to his family alive. 

“Not everyone survives imprisonment in North Korea,” Lee said. “The circumstances are extremely difficult, even for those holding a foreign passport. We have to thank the Lord that Jang survived, and we need to pray that God will help him recover from the traumatic experiences he has endured. 

“What happened to Deacon Jang proves that helping North Koreans is extremely risky. You could lose your life, especially if you are sharing your Christian faith. North Korea has dispatched many spies in China. Their job is to identify people who help defectors and to infiltrate those networks.” 

Believers still held in North Korea 

Open Doors estimates that between 50,000 and 70,000 North Korean Christians are currently imprisoned across the country’s vast system of labour camps, detention facilities and even in closed-off villages. 

Most were arrested simply for owning a Bible, meeting secretly for worship, or having contact with Christians outside the country. Conditions in these camps and prisons are widely described as harsh and often lethal, with many prisoners not expected to survive their sentences. 

*Name changed for security reasons