According to a February 3 report by the international religious freedom organization Open Doors, Zhang Wen Si (phonetic transliteration), an ethnic Korean church leader from Changbai, China.was released and returned to China on Nov. 5, 2025, following an 11-year imprisonment in North Korea. Local sources indicated that he is reportedly suffering from severe physical and mental exhaustion, a lingering consequence of his prolonged detention.
Zhang Wen Si had long been serving along the Chinese-North Korean border, providing North Korean refugees with food, medical care, and temporary shelter while sharing the Gospel. He was last seen in November 2014, when he received a phone call requesting help from a North Korean individual. After going to meet the person at the riverbank near the border, he never returned.
It was subsequently established that he was abducted from Chinese soil and taken into North Korea. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison under charges of “defaming the regime” and “inciting subversion.”
Zhang’s case once drew international attention, especially after Pastor Han Chung-Ryeol, who was serving in the same border area, was killed in 2016. His death intensified fears regarding North Korean cross-border operations. Pastor Han’s death was widely believed to have been connected to North Korean operatives.
Driven by their faith, both men provided humanitarian aid to refugees, yet faced severe consequences because of the harsh political environment. Under totalitarian rule, faith is often regarded as a “threat,” and those who serve faithfully may pay a heavy price for their devotion.
Encouraging Believers to Pray More Earnestly
Simon Lee, a coordinator for Open Doors in charge of North Korean ministry, said that Zhang Wen Si’s release was cause for deep gratitude and had inspired believers to pray with greater fervor.
He said, “Even for those holding foreign passports, the situation is extremely difficult. We thank the Lord for preserving his life. His release encourages us to pray even more. We never thought he could survive through the sentence, but now he has returned home safely. Let us continue to pray for many Christians who are still imprisoned, that they may also be released.”
North Korea has long been consistently ranked as one of the world’s most dangerous nations for Christians. Believers face extreme punishments for their faith—secret gatherings, possessing a Bible, or contacting the outside world can lead to arrest and hard labor. Open Doors estimates that tens of thousands to even hundreds of thousands of Christians are imprisoned in North Korean prisons and labor camps, enduring extremely harsh conditions.
*Names of certain individuals have been changed for security reasons
