Deacon Jang, a Christian who worked on the border of China and North Korea, has been released from jail after 11 years.
Jang was kidnapped from China in November 2014 and sentenced to 15 years in a North Korean prison. He had been ministering to North Koreans who crossed the border into China and had seen a number of them come to faith in Christ.
Jang had been working in the town of Changbai, alongside fellow Korean-Chinese pastor, Han Chung-Ryeol, who has since been martyred.
Voice of the Martyrs Korea led a multi-year global letter campaign urging the North Korean government to release Deacon Jang.
“Though it is illegal to cross into China without permission, North Koreans often visit Chinese border towns to purchase goods to resell in North Korea, seeking medicine or other help, and conducting business,” said Voice of the Martyrs Korea representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley.
Foley added that Deacon Jang regularly hosted these North Korean visitors in his home for days and weeks at a time before they returned to North Korea, giving them warm clothing, feeding them and providing things they might need for their return to North Korea.
“He saw this as his Christian duty to welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and care for the sick,” said Foley. “As a believer, he also shared about his faith to those who were willing.”
“Some returned to Deacon Jang’s home repeatedly for more Bible training, and Deacon Jang and Pastor Han also taught them how to share their faith with their loved ones.”
Release International’s partner for Korea said, “We believe the reason for his kidnapping was to gather information about the North Korean ministry work we were doing with Pastor Han.”
Fifteen months after Deacon Jang’s kidnapping and arrest, Pastor Han was lured from his home in Changbai and stabbed to death.
