Anyone discovered with a bible is considered a 'South Korean spy'and executed. Despite these conditions, the number of underground churches is growing. We want to life our lives according to the standards set in God's Word. North and South Korean Christians are praying for reunification of their countries. The South Korean National Council of Churches, in agreement with the North Korean Christian Federation, has published a prayer guide that all Koreans can follow in praying for reconciliation, Idea, the news agency of the German Evangelical Alliance, reported.
Religious life is vastly different in the two countries.
The South has 17 million Christians, about 38 percent of its population, Idea reported. The communist North recognizes only two Christian churches and says there are about 12,000 Christians. There are an estimated 500 underground house churches with 90,000 members, but they are harshly persecuted. For 20 years the Philippine island of Mindanao has been a battle zone. In a bid to create an independent Islamic state, Muslim separatists have been fighting against government forces with tragic results.