Religious Freedom Advocate Calls on Trump: Demand North Korean Prison Camp Investigation

Watch CBN News' Heather Sells talk with Open Doors' David Curry about the online Prayer Summit for North Korea

The president of Open Doors USA, a faith-based organization that supports persecuted Christians around the world, says President Trump should call for an international investigation of North Korean prison camps when he meets with leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore next Tuesday. 

Open Doors president David Curry told CBN News on Friday that calling for a human rights investigation in the next 60 days would be a quick way to determine if the North Korean regime is serious about joining the international community. 

"We can find out right now--not wait 5, 10, 15 years to find out if they have or have not dismantled nuclear weapons," he said.

Open Doors estimates that the North Korean government is holding at least 50,000 Christians in prison camps. Torture, 12-hour work days and food deprivation are common features of these camps.  "Christians are considered the number one enemies of the state in North Korea" Curry said, "Christians have a faith in God and not Kim Jong Un and that is a challenge to their regime. They don't like it."

Open Doors estimates that 300,000 Christians live under the regime that wants to eliminate them. Curry says an international investigation would ease the pressure on believers and other dissidents in North Korea.

Open Doors has ranked North Korea as the #1 most dangerous place to be a Christian on its World Watch List for the last 17 years.

Curry is headed to Singapore himself where he will host a live, online prayer summit beginning Monday night at 9 p.m. Eastern. John Choi, a prison camp escapee, will lead with the first prayer.  

Open Doors is asking for prayer specifically for those in the prison camps, for North Korean churches to be able to worship freely and for courage for North Korean believers to lead the country in a new revival of faith.

Open Doors recently met with Hae Woo whose life has been directly impacted by the camps.  Her daughter starved to death and her husband died in a prison camp after he became a believer.  Hae Woo, however, displayed an amazing faith, singing the hymn "Amazing Grace."