Rick Warren's Trip to North Korea Delayed

Pastor Rick Warren and his team were informed that Monday's preparatory meeting in North Korea has been delayed and may be rescheduled for later in the week, according to an announcement released yesterday. Warren's invitation to speak to an audience of 15,000 in the communist country, however, still stands.

|PIC1|News of the delay came after the evangelical megachurch pastor spoke to tens of thousands of Christian leaders and believers in the southern half of the Korean peninsula. Warren had arrived in South Korea on July 12 and his spokesman A. Larry Ross had confirmed his visit to North Korea for July 17 until hours ago.

According to Yonhap News Agency, a South Korean wire service, North Korea's Korean Christian Federation sent a fax to South Korea Thursday night saying they would like to postpone the meeting with Pastor Rick Warren.

Yesterday's announcement said that Warren is scheduled to be in Asia for the next two weeks, continuing a 35-day tour of 13 countries. Thus, "there is a possibility he might be able to participate in the rescheduled meeting" in North Korea.

Monday's meeting with religious leaders was originally scheduled to be held in Kaesung but was relocated to the Geumgang Mountains because of tensions from the missile launch. Warren and the leaders were to plan for the first outdoor Christian event since 1945 in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Pyongyang Revival.

Warren had been invited by a delegation of South Korean businessmen who were working with representatives from North Korea to speak at the major event in March 2007. Next week’s preparatory meetings, however, have now been delayed.|AD|

Since the recent announcement of his plans to speak in the communist country, cited as the worst violator of human rights and religious freedom by human rights and Christian persecution watchdogs, some have criticised the plans and the evangelical pastor himself. Ministry Today reported that some believe Warren's arrival will draw Christians out of the woodwork, only to be persecuted once he leaves the scene.

Warren showed awareness of the risks and possible motives of the communist regime, but said, "I know they're going to use me. So, I'm going to use them," according to Religion News Service. He added at a press conference upon arrival in Seoul that "regardless of politics, I will go anywhere I am invited to preach the Gospel."

Commenting on the current standoff over recent missile firings by North Korea, Warren said, "I am not a politician, I am a pastor. But I do know that in any conflict – whetherr in a marriage, in business or between nations – as long as the parties keep talking, there is hope. My plea to everyone involved in this diplomatic process, is to please, keep talking."






Lillian Kwon
Christian Today Correspondent