In the latest efforts to stop Scripture from crossing borders into North Korea, South Korean authorities made Bible launches illegal on Friday.
Mission Network News reportsthat South Korea passed the law which includes large fines "and bans any activities connected to cross-border balloon or sea bottle launches."
The mission organization Voice of the Martyrs Korea launches balloons with Scripture attached, as well as sends bottles with pieces of Scripture inside in the sea.
“For 15 years, we’ve had a very good cooperative relationship at all levels of the South Korean government,” Pastor Eric Foley, CEO of VOM Korea, says.
“We’re saddened that government has taken the step to move away from this 15-year policy of collaboration… and, instead, [sees] freedom of religion as suddenly a threat to life and property.”
Foley says the organization does the launches not in an effort to evangelize North Koreans but to help Christians already in the country.
“We can’t ever believe that standing with underground Christians won’t cost us something.”
“When we started [the launches] zero per cent of North Koreans had ever seen a Bible with their own eyes. Now, eight-percent of them have, as of 2016; so, it’s probably now past eight per cent,” Foley says.
Being a Christian is a capital offence in North Korea. Foley says that "Whether it’s North Korea and balloon launching or Iran or Saudi Arabia, whatever the country is where persecution or difficulties are being faced, let’s pray – not for persecuted Christians but with persecuted Christians as one body."
