Deacon Jang, a Christian who worked on the border of China and North Korea, has been released from prison after 11 years.
Jang (also known as Zhang Wen Shi) was kidnapped from China in November 2014 and sentenced to 15 years in a North Korean prison. He had been ministering to North Koreans who crossed the border into China and had seen a number of them come to faith in Christ.
Jang had been working in the town of Changbai, alongside fellow Korean-Chinese pastor, Han Chung-Ryeol. Although it is illegal to cross into China without permission, North Koreans often visit border towns to buy goods, or medicine.
Jang had regularly provided hospitality for those doing so and discipled those who came to faith, teaching them how to share the gospel with loved ones when they returned home. Release International’s partner for Korea said, ‘We believe the reason for his kidnapping was to gather information about the North Korean ministry work we were doing with Pastor Han.’ Fifteen months after Deacon Jang’s kidnapping and arrest, Pastor Han was lured from his home in Changbai and stabbed to death.
Give thanks for Deacon Jang’s release and pray for his well-being in the days ahead.
