Title: The Forbidden Christmas: Unveiling the Mystery of Christmas in North Korea
In an annual global celebration of hope and love, Christmas, observed on December 25th by Christians worldwide, stands as a beacon of unity. However, in the shadow of prosperity lies a nation that shuns this festivity, finding it incompatible with its ideology. This is the tale of Christmas in North Korea.
A Nation Against the Grain
North Korea, under the iron fist of Kim Jong Un, has openly opposed Christmas, as seen in 2016 when the regime went so far as to deem it a capital offense. The suppression of religious freedom started long before, with the founding of the Kim dynasty in 1948.
The Enigma of Christmas in North Korea
In this isolated haven, the mysteries of Christmas are as thick as the DMZ smokescreen. Many North Koreans, like Kang Jimin, an escapee, are entirely unaware of the occasion. "There’s no Christmas in North Korea," Jimin told The Independent. "It’s a communist country, so people don’t know who Jesus Christ is. They only know Chairman Kim, and his family are their gods."
Ji Hyun Park, the first North Korean defector to reach the UK in 1998, also grew up ignorant of Christmas, mistakenly believing Boxing Day to be an sporting event. Ironically, Christmas trees decorations adorn Pyongyang streets year-round, their religious significance lost on locals.
Timothy Cho, another defector, bets on an underground Christian population celebrating Christmas secretly. Yet, the stakes are high: prison or worse awaits those caught.
A Christmas Alternative
Instead of Christmas, North Koreans celebrate Kim Jong Suk’s birthday, Kim Jong Un’s grandmother, on Christmas Eve. They travel to Hoeryong, her birthplace, to lay flowers, bow, and sing.
Although banned, Christianity lingers in North Korea. The North Korea Database of Human Rights (NKDB) estimates 5 facilities, including 5 churches, under state control. Yet, they’re starkly different from ordinary houses of worship.
North Korea joins Somalia, Tajikistan, and Brunei in outlawing Christmas, punishable by up to five years imprisonment.
In a world where Christmas lights illuminate countless streets, the stark contrast in North Korea serves as a somber reminder of the vast global disparities in religious freedom and tolerance.
Source: (sym/sym)