Apology issued after distributing Bible tracts
Picture: AFP Photo/Tania Lee/AFPTV
North Korea on Monday deported an Australian missionary detained for spreading Christianity in the country, saying he apologized for his anti-state religious acts and requested forgiveness.
Authorities in North Korea had arrested John Short for secretly spreading Bible tracts near a Buddhist temple in Pyongyang on Feb 16, the birthday of late leader Kim Jong Il, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said.
The report said that Short, 75, admitted he committed a crime that hurt the Korean people's trust in their leaders and that he apologized for his behavior.
Get the latest from UCA News. Sign-up to receive our daily newsletter
"I now realize the seriousness of my insult to the Korean people on February 16th because I made the Korean people angry and for this I truly apologize," Short was quoted as saying in a written apology, according to separate KCNA report. "I am willing to bow down on my knees to request this tolerance of [North Korea] and the Korean people."
KCNA said North Korea decided to expel him in part out of consideration for his age.
Short arrived later Monday on a flight to Beijing, where he declined to speak to reporters saying he was too tired and was escorted to a vehicle from the Australian embassy.
"Clearly this is welcome news for Mr Short, his family and his supporters," Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement. "Australian consular officials stand ready to provide assistance to Mr Short to ensure he can return to his home in Hong Kong as soon as possible."
North Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but in practice only sanctioned services are tolerated by the government. Defectors from the country have said that the distribution of Bibles and secret prayer services can mean banishment to a labor camp or execution.
North Korea typically frees foreign detainees after they've admitted their crimes, but many say after their releases that their confessions were given involuntarily and under duress. Last week, North Korea presented to the media a detained South Korean Baptist missionary who apologized for allegedly trying to reach Pyongyang with Bibles, Christian instructional materials and movies in October.
Full Story: Australian Missionary John Short Deported From North Korea
Source:Huffington Post Religion
Help us keep UCA News independent
The Church in Asia needs objective and independent journalism to speak the truth about the Church and the state. With a network of professionally qualified journalists and editors across Asia, UCA News is all about this mission.
A small donation of US$2 a month would make a big difference in our quest to achieve our goal.
Share your comments
SPECIAL EBOOK
