Kim Kyung Il

Update February 18, 2011

Kim Kyung Il has been in prison 10 years. Just days ago, VOM contacts received word that his sentence is expected to be commuted and he may be free in September. Normally this would be cause for rejoicing, but as soon as Kim Kyung Il is released he’ll face deportation to North Korea. There, he will almost certainly be executed. Our contact writes, “The only hope he may have is a huge outpouring of public awareness, which might at least delay his execution.”

Friends are working frantically to help Kim Kyung Il, but it’s not easy. Please pray for a solution and write Chinese officials today.

Prisoner Details

During early 1997, Kim Kyung Il and his brother crossed the border from North Korea into China. The following year he met a pastor, became a Christian and joined a Bible study group. Under the leadership of this pastor, Kyung Il served refugees from North Korea and started Bible studies in the Chengdoo region. He later became involved with sending refugees to South Korea.

Kyung Il was overseer of a safe house that discipled over 70 refugees. When a large number from the group were arrested by the Chinese police, he fled with some of the remaining refugees to the China-Mongolian border. He and his wife were captured, but the rest of the group continued their journey in the desert. Without their leader, they wandered for two days and finally crossed the border into Mongolia, where they reached the South Korean embassy and received passage to South Korea.

Kyung Il and his wife were sent back to North Korea and placed in prison. His pregnant wife was hit in the stomach with a stick forcing an abortion. In the prison there were many inmates who knew Kim well, but they protected him by pretending not to know him. Thus the authorities did not realize how involved he was with helping refugees escape from North Korea. He was released after serving only a short sentence. He remembers that those who protected his identity while in prison had asked him to work harder to let the world know about their situation.

Kim’s wife was released from prison shortly after the forced abortion. She escaped to South Korea with other family members. After his release, Kyung Il fled to China and worked at another safe house. He continued to disciple refugees and assisted them in escaping to South Korea. During April 2002, he was caught by the Chinese police. Since his arrest, he has been held in prison in China. He is scheduled to be sent back to North Korea when released from prison in China. All his family now live in South Korea. Pray Kim Kyung Il will not be sent back to North Korea, where he will surely be executed.