Pray for North Korea
A mountain range famous for its rocky peaks, in south-east North Korea.
Photo: Clay Gilliland, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
About North Korea
The capital is Pyongyang. People speak Korean. Open religious life is tightly restricted.
Source: Wikipedia, with the cited sources it lists.
Prayer briefing for North Korea
Last updated November 2026. Facts come from the sources listed below.
Current events
On 29 October North Korea fired around 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast, the South Korean military said, after an earlier launch on 12 October. Japan said the missiles fell outside its exclusive economic zone. Reports say tension has been high since a mine blast wounded South Korean soldiers in September. State media reported that Kim Jong Un told army company commanders in Pyongyang on 22 and 23 October to build the strongest army.
We pray for: Immediate relief, safety and urgent help.
Leadership and politics
North Korea is a one-party state led by the Workers' Party of Korea. Kim Jong Un is General Secretary of the party and was re-elected Chairman of the State Affairs Commission in March 2026, and Pak Thae-song is Premier. The party held its Ninth Congress in February 2026, and elections to the Supreme People's Assembly took place in March.
We pray for: Wisdom, integrity and justice for those in authority.
Economic health
The Bank of Korea in Seoul estimates the economy grew about 3.5% in 2025, the third year in a row above 3%, helped by trade with Russia and China. Even so, income per person is estimated at under 4% of that in South Korea. Farming makes up about a fifth of the economy and grew about 3.6% in 2025.
We pray for: Provision for families and honest stewardship.
Social and cultural issues
Korea remains divided, and the South Korean Red Cross has estimated that about 10 million families were separated by the border, with very few ever meeting again. Reports say society is ordered by a system of family background called songbun, and that punishment can fall on relatives across three generations.
We pray for: Reconciliation, peace and protection of the vulnerable.
Spiritual landscape
No reliable figures on religion exist. Reports say organised Christianity, Catholicism and Buddhism have almost disappeared from public life, though an estimate cited by USCIRF suggests that many thousands may still hold their faith in secret. Shamanist practices also continue but are now restricted too.
We pray for: Spiritual awakening, hope and the spread of truth.
Religious freedom
The constitution speaks of freedom of religious belief, but open religious life is tightly restricted. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom reports that owning a Bible can lead to imprisonment, that whole families may be punished for one member, and that many believers are held in prison camps.
We pray for: Protection for believers and freedom to worship safely.
Historical wounds
The Korean War of 1950 to 1953 killed millions and ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, so the peninsula is still divided. Famine in the 1990s is estimated to have taken about 2 million lives. The pain of division, war and hunger remains in many families on both sides of the border.
We pray for: National healing, breaking old cycles and deep forgiveness.
Let us pray together
Our Father, we come to You together for North Korea. Bring calm where tension is rising, protect families from hunger, and bring help to those in urgent need. Give wisdom, integrity and justice to those in authority. Provide daily bread for every household, and let each harvest be enough. Comfort divided families, protect the children and the elderly, and bring peace and reconciliation to the Korean peninsula. Let the light and hope of Jesus reach every heart. Keep Your people safe, give them courage, and open the way for freedom to worship. Heal the wounds of war, division and famine, and lead the people of Korea in forgiveness and peace. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Sources
- The Standard (Hong Kong) / Reuters: North Korea fires around 10 ballistic missiles, Seoul says (Oct 2026)
- The Standard (Hong Kong) / Reuters: Kim calls for military revolution, KCNA says (Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia: 2026 in North Korea (Oct 2026)
- Korea Times: North Korean economy grows over 3% in 2025, Bank of Korea (July 2026)
- USCIRF: North Korea country update (Dec 2025)
- PBS Wide Angle: North Korea and the Korean War, the aftermath
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