Headquarters Pyongyang, North Korea | ||
Formation November 28, 1946; 70 years ago (1946-11-28) Purpose Represents Protestant Christians | ||
The Korean Christian Federation is a Protestant body in North Korea. The federation is based in the captial city Pyongyang.
Contents
History
The federation was founded on 28 November 1946.
Immediately, it declared that it would support the country's leader Kim Il-sung and oppose the formation of the South Korean state. Back then, the organization was led by Kim Il-sung's mothers cousin Kang Ryang-uk. Although Christians in North Korea were mostly anti-communist, about third of them joined the Korean Christian Federation. Christian leaders who refused to join were imprisoned.
Organization
The federation is "under close government supervision". The federation itself restricts certain Christian activities.
Officially, institution today comprises 10,000 North Korean Christians, and acts as an inter-denominational organization by playing an important liaison role between the government and the Christians. It is one of three official Protestant bodies recognized in the country.
The federation oversees North Korea's two Protestant churches: Bongsu and Chilgol Church, in Pyongyang.