Churches and Christian organisations in South Korea, along with international partners, have begun a 21-day prayer initiative calling for the release of three missionaries detained in North Korea and for reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.
The campaign, known as the 20th Seire Peace Prayer Meeting, began on 5 June and will continue until 25 June. It is organised by Peace Korea and involves 48 churches and Christian groups from South Korea, as well as congregations in countries including Germany, Russia, France, the United States and Indonesia.
The focus of this year’s prayer effort is the continued detention of three missionaries, Kim Jeong-wook, Kim Guk-gi and Choi Chun-gil, who remain in North Korea. Organisers say churches have been praying for their release for around a decade, and that five previously detained individuals have been freed since the movement began.
At a recent briefing in Seoul, organisers were joined by Missionary Kim Moses, who was formerly detained in North Korea and later released, as well as a representative of the family of one of the detained missionaries.
This year’s theme, “See, I Am Doing a New Thing,” is taken from the biblical passage Isaiah 43:19.
The Seire Peace Prayer Meeting, first launched in 2007, is structured around a 21-day prayer model inspired by the biblical account of Daniel. It brings together churches across denominational lines and has previously marked significant anniversaries in Korean and church history, including milestones linked to the Korean War and the armistice agreement.
Organisers said they hope the campaign will encourage greater unity among churches in South Korea and support what they describe as “Gospel reunification” between North and South Korea.
A prayer guide produced for the initiative includes daily devotionals from pastors and reflections on Christian faith and martyrdom. It also highlights prayer points such as the safe return of the detained missionaries, unity within the Korean church, and the future of Christian communities in North Korea.
Church leaders involved in the campaign have called for continued intercession for North Korea’s estimated 25 million people, many of whom, they say, have limited access to Christian teaching.
Daily worship sessions will be streamed online throughout the 21-day period.
Adapted and rewritten from reporting by Christian Daily International.
