Hyeon Soo Lim News: Jailed Canadian Pastor Shares His Experiences Inside North Korean Prison
After being kept away from the world for months, Hyeon Soo Lim was able to interact with some people as he was allowed to speak with CNN while serving his prison time in North Korea.
Lim was sentenced to life with hard labor after he was found by the North Korean government to have committed "crimes against the state." After his sentencing, the government didn't allow him to talk to Canadian representatives who wanted to check his health conditions.
According to CNN, Lim was dressed in a gray uniform and sported a "close-shaven head." Guards who led him to the conference room where the interviewer was waiting ordered the 60-year-old prisoner around. In turn, Lim obeyed.
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The South Korean-born preacher was held in a labor camp since December and was not allowed to see any other inmates; he was the only inmate in the unit where he had been placed. For eight hours a day and six days in a week, Lim went around the prison orchard, digging soil to create holes for apple trees, and as expected, there were two guards watching his struggles.
Lim told the media that at first he had a difficult time, but now, he has adjusted to his lifetime labor and he believes that his toiling is exercise. He doesn't want anything more than "just a Bible and "letters from my family."
Unfortunately, he was only able to receive two letters from his family and he has only sent them one through Swedish diplomats in Pyongyang. A spokesperson for his family said they have not received his letter, which could mean that the Swedish diplomats weren't able to get his letter out of the country.
The Canadian government has reportedly started negotiations with North Korea to get the pastor out of his sad fate, but there has been no progress whatsoever. Lim remains in his labor camp until someone proves that he wasn't using religion to overthrow the government.
