North Korea watcher Dr. C. Kenneth Quinones narrates this tragic personal recollection in his Idiot's Guide to understanding this nation. As a lover of nature myself, I was taken aback at how serious North Korea became just a decade ago. This information is vital for those who will continue praying and working for North Korea...
He was in North Korea in August, September, and October of 1995. Incredibly fierce rains in August caused floods that made Korean, if not world, history. The corn and rice harvests were destroyed. He saw women and children dressed in rags wandering in the fields looking for leaves, grass, anything they could eat. They found more than he had imagined possible.
It suddenly dawned on him that the wildlife was strangely quiet. All during this time he saw not one bird or squirrel or any other animal one would expect to be outdoors at this time of year. It became clear that they had all been put to good use helping to fend off starving . The Koreans had eaten them all.
North Korea is not out of the woods yet, though somewhat improved. Just how many died during the famine? One organization says 3.5 million. A north Korean document traced monthly death rates in one mining town. 19% of the town died between 1995 and 1998. That's not counting 20% who fled, and many others who died of a cholera epidemic.Another group interviewed 440 refugees from North Hamgyong and concluded that the death rate was around 13%. If that statistic was true of the whole country this famine was the worst in human history.
Even a North Korean official admitted in 1999 that 220,000 had died from 1995-1998.
The misery of those years and to some extent these years is indescribable. Many despaired and took poison. Many took their children to railway stations so that perhaps someone else could feed them. Others sold their children.Cannibalism was widespread. A man was caught and shot after they found the head of a corpse in his house. A couple was executed for murdering 50 children and salting and storing their flesh, mixing it with pork and selling it in the market. A family of five was shot for luring small children into their house, drugging them, chopping up their bodies...
Enough. Enough hopefully to bring us to a place of prayer for a nation and a government. Enough to ask God to raise up His Word and our Lord to rule over North Korea. Where Christ rules, little children are not eaten. Oh that North Korea will hear about Jesus and proclaim His Lordship! (Some of these facts gleaned from Becker's 'Rogue Regime.')
http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!
And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.
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