A South Korean civic group has claimed that up to 500-thousand North Koreans are pursuing religious activities in secret to avoid the communist regime’s persecution.
 
The Seoul-based Justice for North Korea made the claim in a book recently published under the title “the current religious situations in North Korea.”
 
Peter Chung, the head of the group who authored the book, noted international Christian groups and the U.S. Committee for Human Rights in North Korea are estimating the number of underground adherents of religions in the North at 200-thousand to 500-thousand.
 
Chung said even after North Koreans go underground to pursue religious activities, they cannot hold large-sized worship services as it could raise the risk of them being arrested.
 
He said the North has strengthened its punishment on religious activities, executing religious citizens or sending them to political camps, calling the North “a grave of religious people.”