Top countries where Christians are suffering, experiencing supernatural: 'Count the cost'

'The Holy Spirit is at work, thanks to your prayers'

By Jon Brown, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, January 17, 2026

North Korea: 'Whispered prayers'

For the 24th consecutive year, North Korea bears the distinction of being "arguably the most dangerous place on earth to follow Jesus," according to Open Doors, which slapped the impoverished pariah state with a 97 out of 100 on its persecution ranking. The country continues to be marked by what the nonprofit described as "post-communist oppression" and "dictatorial paranoia."

Like his father and grandfather before him, North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un and his government demand worship and absolute allegiance, forcing Christians who believe in a power higher than the state to gather in secret, especially after an "anti-reactionary thought law" was introduced in 2020.

Watch: Open Doors US CEO Ryan Brown breaks down the World Watch List report 

North Koreans are encouraged to inform on their neighbors even for simple acts such as clasping one's hands or quietly mumbling a prayer, according to defectors. Those who arouse even the slightest suspicion of paying homage to Jesus Christ instead of the Kim cult potentially condemn both themselves and their families to execution or indefinite imprisonment in one of the country's brutal labor camps.

As it attempts to position itself as a major player on the world stage, the regime is reportedly getting more creative in asserting its totalitarian control, implementing artificial intelligence to detect "suspicious behavior patterns" that might indicate someone is among the nation's estimated 400,000 Christian believers.

But the Holy Spirit manifests unmistakably amid the persecution, according to North Koreans who have escaped. Some have reported widespread supernatural encounters with Jesus Christ in dreams and visions.

"If you could see what God is doing in my country, you would never have any doubts again," one North Korean defector told Open Doors. "The Holy Spirit is at work, thanks to your prayers."

"Despite these dangers, the underground church in North Korea is alive," another North Korean Christian said. "It worships not with sound, but with whispered prayers and memorized Scripture. Believers continue to follow Christ with quiet courage, deep faith and a willingness to give everything for the sake of the Gospel."