North Korea

An American detained for nearly six months in North Korea has been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for crimes against the state.

North Korean officials announced Saturday that detained American citizen Kenneth Bae will be tried before the country's Supreme Court on charges of plotting to overthrow the government.

As the world turns its attention to North Korean threats of nuclear war, human rights groups are bringing attention the extensive human rights violations in the country.

North Korean church leaders are asking Christians worldwide to pray for their country amid increased war threats and combat preparation by North Korean military officials.

A fresh set of sanctions agreed by the United Nations this week will impose further restrictions on North Korea and increasingly limit its ability to function in the international community. Christians also could be impacted as uncertainty and threats of attacks against the United States and South Korea increase.

North Korea is in a league of its own when it comes to persecution of Christians. Research estimates there are as many as 70,000 Christians in the country’s gulags out of an estimated 200,000 prisoners.

Open Doors has confirmed the death of two Christians in North Korea. One Christian was recently shot while he was on his way back to Bible training in China, and the other died in one of North Korea's notorious labor camps.

I am thankful for the lessons I have learned from persecuted Christians, especially on their observance of Christmas. They return to the true heart of the Christmas message: God sending his Son into the world to be born, die for our sins and return to His heavenly home. No Christmas trees, mall visits, substituting "holiday" for "Christmas."

North Korea's successful rocket launch is putting an end to some of the mystery surrounding its new leader, Kim Jong Un, with many world leaders saying he is now proving to be just as provocative as his late father, Kim Jong Il.