Church leader released after 11 years in prison in North Korea

In 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 Changbai, a town on the Chinese side of the border with North Korea. Before his arrest, he was known for providing humanitarian assistance 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 for help and teaching. 

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 from Chinese territory 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. Their job is to identify people who help defectors and to infiltrate those networks.” 

These dangers are also reflected in the life of Evangelist Cho*, whose work among North Koreans bears a striking resemblance to Deacon Jang’s. He gave food, water and other necessities to those who fled the country, as well as something even more precious. “I give a Bible to every North Korean I meet,” said Cho, who passed away last year, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy of faith.
 

Believers still held in North Korea 

Three South Korean missionaries – Kim Jung-wook*, Kim Kook-kie* and Choi Chun-gil* – are still being held in North Korea, each detained in separate incidents connected to Christian ministry near the border. 

Alongside them, three North Koreans who later gained South Korean citizenship are also believed to remain imprisoned, reportedly after abduction or forced repatriation.  

All six have been held for years without access to due process, and North Korea has provided no public information about their condition or whereabouts. Their names have never been officially released. 

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. 

“The release of Deacon Jang must give a boost to our prayers”, Lee said. “We never thought he would survive his sentence, yet he has returned home. Let us pray that many Christians currently imprisoned will be released too.” 

*Names changed for security reasons