Mick Hartley

It was generally expected that Jimmy Carter, in his recent  ill-advised trip to North Korea with the Gang of Elders, would at least secure the release of Jun Yong Su, the latest US evangelical to be detained there. After all, he managed it with Aijalon Gomes last year. But no, Carter's snub from the North Koreans this time was total.

The reason, it now seems, is that Pastor Jun may not have been a lone figure, but was apparently connected to a missionary group which Pyongyang is determined to stamp out:

An associate of Jun Yong Su, the Korean-American pastor detained in North Korea since November of last year, says Jun has been heavily beaten during the investigation into his underground church activities. 

Im Chang Ho, a professor with Kosin University in Busan and chair of the Defectors’ Church Associate, explained to The Daily NK, “Pastor Jun Yong Su and two other Korean-Chinese were arrested at that time, but the two were expelled after being beaten. According to them, Pastor Jun was beaten so harshly by the North Korean authorities that he cannot stand.”…

Professor Im added that the South Korean missionary organization Jun belongs to has also had problems as a result of his capture, saying, “Due to bringing to light the mission activities of the missionary organization he belongs to, two underground churches have been uncovered; three people have been executed and tens of people arrested, I hear.” 

“Jun’s organization issued colored publications in North Korea so as to get funds from the outside world, but these activities have presumably been unveiled,” Professor Im added. “In particular, the authorities found out that this organization has spread widely in the North via many members working independently, and so they are interrogating Pastor Jun.” 

“That’s why the North’s authorities did not release Pastor Jun when Jimmy Carter visited,” he went on, “The authorities seem keen to use this opportunity to root out underground churches.”

Update: snubbing the Elders seems to be catching.