New Year's Day (both solar and lunar) has come and gone and with it, Kim Jong Un's New Year's Address. Here is a link to the full text for anyone who is interested in wading through it all.  A few highlights:  As expected, he emphasized his nuclear program, vowing to strengthen its capabilities and issued a number of warnings to the West.  He also emphasized agricultural development but without any real recognition of reality and what is needed. An interesting point was Kim Jong Un's unprecedented apology for short comings over the past year.  However, there was not much of a positive response to this from a populace that wants to see actions not words.

On the economic front, the growing donju (money lords or money masters) are dropping more cash on expensive meals in Pyongyang and bidding up real estate in the capital as they follow South Korean styles in remodeling their new homes.  North Korean restaurants are starting to offer free pizza to attract customers.  At the same time new luxury food factories are languishing for lack of demand as people prefer imported foods. Yet, the vast majority still struggle to put food on the table and students, laboring under increased demands for "contributions" to fund growing budgets for "free" public education, are dropping out of school in order to go into business.  North Korea is also selling their raw resources at a discount, especially  coal to China in anticipation of China's coming ban on imports from the country. They are also making a push to get more involved with Russia's Maritime Province.

In the meantime, Kim Jong Un is giving mixed signals about building his personality cult, playing down his birthday but getting ready to erect solo portraits of himself around the country.  At the same time, we are getting reports of growing discontent among the nation's elite and the potential for even more.

Remembering Our Brothers in Prison

Last month, we added Andrew Brunson to our list of pastors suffering imprisonment for the Faith.  Andrew was charged by the Turkish goverment with terrorist activities and is in near solitary confinement.  The accusation and actions came as a total surprise to this American family who have been serving faithfully in Turkey for 23 years.  It seems that too many Muslims were coming to faith through his ministry.  He and his wife are very discouraged and he is not sleeping well.  His two sons are with their grandparents in Montreat, North Carolina.  Hold this family up in your prayers.

We continue to pray for Pastor Hyeon Soo Lim of the Light Korean Church in Toronto as well as South Korean pastors Jeong Wook Kim, Kook Ki Kim and Choon Gil Choi and American Pastor Dong-chul Kim. We also lift up in our prayers University of Virginia student Otto Warmbier. There is little progress in his situation. Pray with us that these men be released to their homes and families soon.  May 2017 be the year of full release! 

Ben Torrey

Director

The Fourth River Project, Inc.

www.thefourthriver.org

Later development: Almost certainly, the North Korean regime carried out a hit-job in the assassination of Kim Jong Un’s older half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, at the Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, airport on Feb. 13 with two assassination teams of four people in each.

Let’s continue to pray that this ruthless and wicked regime will be removed from power and that North Korea can be saved from the horrors of its rule. Pray too for the release of those who have been imprisoned unjustly