Christians caught with Bible in North Korea face death, prison – including children

North Korea is notorious for the cruelty it inflicts on people deemed undesirable by the state.

In the Hermit Kingdom that prizes weaponry over its own people, many of whom are starving and live in abject poverty, tens of thousands of Christians are said to be languishing in prisons.

A recently released US Department of State report notes that while North Korea constitutionally allows for religious freedom, there is no such thing in practice.

The constitution vaguely states that religion must not harm the state or social order, giving authorities room to target those who seek to openly follow their faith.