Religious Freedom in “No God’s Land”: When a Two-Year-Old Toddler Was Given Life Imprisonment for Possessing a Bible in North Korea

Key Points:

In North Korea, there is neither a God in the sky nor a man who possesses enough valour to hang a picture of any supreme power on his wall. 

Why? Because North Korea does not follow any one particular religion. Officially, the nation presents itself as a land with no god—an atheist state. The “Supreme Leader” controls the reins of the country. But historically, the country has been home to various religions, ranging from Christianity to Buddhism. The country has historically been home to various religions, ranging from Christianity to Buddhism. 

The irony is that a land which secretly celebrates its “triumph over religion” is also a state that reportedly guarantees the right to “religious freedom”. Kim Jong Un leads this tiny country placed in the Korean Peninsula.

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The Kim family has ruled North Korea for decades, with the third generation currently in power. Kim Jong Un has been the Supreme Leader of North Korea since December 2011. 

But is there only one god that persists in a land with no God?

When a Toddler was Given Life Imprisonment in North Korea

There are several tales of persecution in the state that claims to be religiously free. 

There have been several reports scrutinising the state for using harsh methods to suppress the freedom to practise any religion. Several documented cases cite arrests, torture, and inhumane punishments based on the religious beliefs of the people of North Korea. 

One shocking account from North Korea’s war on religion centers on a toddler who was sentenced to life imprisonment. In 2009, reports emerged describing how the North Korean government sentenced a two-year-old toddler to life imprisonment along with its family.

The child’s family was detained because officials discovered a Bible in the possession of the child’s family.

According to a 2021 report by Korea Future, a non-governmental organisation, the government of North Korea has completely shut down the practice of religious freedom. 

As per the last documented religious demographics of the region, in 2002 there were about 12,000 Protestants, 10,000 Buddhists, and 800 Catholics. In another report from 2015, the region’s atheism percentage had crossed the 70% mark. 

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North Korea’s constitution promotes religious freedom as long as it does not threaten the nation’s social order. Over time, the population of North Korea has minimised its affiliation with any religion whatsoever, with the number dropping to a mere 0.16% in 2002 from 24% in 1948.

From curbing churches operating in secrecy to celebrating its victory over religion, the country’s long-standing stance toward faith has been an unending story of repression. The report by Korea Future detailed many cases in which individuals, from children to adults, were subjected to immense torture for their religious beliefs. 

Many people were allegedly detained, forced into labour, and even became victims of sexual harassment. In July 2022, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that North Korea had not changed since 2014, when a human rights report highlighted the country’s violations.

He said, “the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion [in the DPRK] continues to be denied, with no alternative belief systems tolerated by the authorities.”

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