A/HRC/25/CRP.1 244. Christianity has a long history in Korea with first contacts dating back to the 17th century. It gained particular traction in the North, and Pyongyang was sometimes described as the “Jerusalem of the East”.258 In the 20th century, Cheondogyo, a religion blending elements of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism emerged and also gained a large number of followers. Christian Solidarity Worldwide quoted an estimate of more than 28 per cent of the population that had a religious belief in 1950, whereas the 1950 Yearbook of the Workers’ Party of Korea placed the figure at almost 24 per cent. Based on figures provided by the DPRK to the Human Rights Committee, it is estimated that only 0.16 per cent of the population followed a religious belief in 2002.259 Basically, according to official statistics, there were approximately 38,000 DPRK nationals who were religious believers in 2002 compared to over 2 million in 1950 (noting that in 1950, the entire population was reported to number 9 million, compared to approximately 23 million in 2002). 260 (b) Religious persecution 245. Information received by the Commission indicates that religious persecution in the DPRK commenced before the Korean War. While the rhetoric was that of conciliation and unity with guarantees of religious freedom, a parallel message being issued was that religious people are pro-imperialist and pro-feudalist.261 The overall period of religious oppression has been described as being divided into four phases (1946-1950: Pre-Korean War; 1950-1953: Korean War; 1953-1971: pre-Kimilsungism movement; 1972-present: era of Juche),262 with the Korean War and pre-Kimilsungism movement periods described as the most vicious in the persecution of religious believers. Religious people were killed, exiled and imprisoned. Christians were said to have been targeted the most as the movement of Christianity was much more organized than the other religions and because of its supposed connection with the USA. Towards the end of the third phase and in preparation for the fourth and current phase, members of the Chondo Party, Christians, and Buddhists were included in the Hostile Class under the Songbun system.263 246. The independent exercise of Christianity grew in the 1990s, as people who fled to China during the height of the food crisis came into contact with, and often received aid from, local churches. Witnesses claimed the existence of underground churches in the DPRK referring to instances where Christians congregate secretly in homes or other places to practise their religion. It has been suggested that clandestine religious activities have increased since the early 2000s, although more specific details have been difficult to obtain.264 One estimate suggests that there are between 200,000 and 400,000 Christians still professing their religion secretly in the DPRK despite the high risks.265 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 Andrei Lankov, “North Korea’s missionary position”, Asia Times Online, 16 March 2005. Available from http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/GC16Dg03.html; Michael Breen, Moon Sun-myung, “The Early Years, 1920-53: Chapter 6 – Jerusalem of the East”. Available from http://www.unification.org/ucbooks/earlyyears/Chap06.htm. HRI/CORE/1/Add.108/Rev.1, p. 10; CCPR/CO/72/PRK/Add.1, p. 3. Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “North Korea: A Case To Answer – A Call To Act”, 2007, p. 65. Available from http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=report&id=35. Won Jae-chun, “Religious Persecution in North Korea: Process and phases of oppression 1945-2011”, International Journal for Religious Freedom, vol. 4, No. 1 (2011), pp. 87-100. Database Center for North Korea Human Rights (NKDB) divided it into six periods covering from 1945-present: see “Religious Freedom in North Korea”, January 2013, pp. 28-41. Won Jae-chun, “Religious Persecution in North Korea: Process and phases of oppression 1945-2011”, pp. 87-100. NKDB, “Religious Freedom in North Korea”, pp. 41, 98-102. Submission to the Commission: SUB048. 69