Australian Missionary Arrested in North Korea
by Mark Hager Jr, Worthy News Correspondent
PYONGYANG, NORTH KOREA (Worthy News)– John Short, an 75-year-old Australian Christian, was arrested and charged with attempting to overthrow the government by North Korea, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
John, a career missionary based in Hong Kong, was traveling to the reclusive nation with a tour group and was arrested in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of Christian materials that had been translated into Korean.
During an Reuters interview, Karen Short said of her husband, “He won’t be intimidated by the communists.”
“He’s courageous, this is my husband’s character,” she said. “I hope things get better – he’s in God’s hands, we both totally believe that.”
On Monday, the United Nations published a report which condemned North Korea for “crimes against humanity”, and called for the nation to be brought before the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The U.N.’s 372-page-report was based on satellite imagery and harrowing testimony gathered from more than 80 victims and witnesses over the past 11 months, which included many who survived after being sent to one of the North Korean prison camps. The report covered a broad range of crimes, which included charges of “extermination,” forced abortions, rape, and widespread abductions.
North Korea is widely regarded as one of the world’s worst persecutor of Christians, with as many as 50,000 North Korean Christians believed to be imprisoned in concentration type camps around the country.