ICC NOTE: The advocacy website change.org has had a petition posted calling for the release of 60 year old Canadian pastor Hyeon-Soo Lim. He has been held in North Korea since February of 2015 and was sentenced to prison officially in December of 2015. The petition calls on Secretary-General of the United Nations, Prime Minister of Canada, and Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister to work on freeing Rev. Lim. To date the petition has garnered 125,000 signatures and continues to grow daily. 

1/26/2016 North Korea (Christian Post) – Over 125,000 people have already signed an online petition calling for the release of a Canadian pastor imprisoned by North Korea’s Communist government.

The Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim, a 60-year-old Canadian pastor who was born in South Korea, was arrested and given a life sentence of hard labor by North Korea last month.

A petition posted to the advocacy website change.org calls on Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau, and Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephane Dion to work to free Rev. Lim.

Participants pray for Canadian Pastor Hyeon Soo Lim who is being held in North Korea during a joint multi-cultural prayer meeting at Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Toronto, December 20, 2015. Canadian diplomats were allowed to meet detained pastor Lim on Friday, after he was sentenced to life in prison in North Korea earlier last week, and found him in good spirits and health, a church spokeswoman said on Sunday.

“The Canadian government and the United Nations need to take strong, affirmative action NOW. If there is political will, Pastor Lim can be rescued,” reads the petition in part.

“Few of us have the courage and dedication to jeopardize our life and liberty for the sake of those in need. But all of us can help #freepastorlim #bringlimhome. Please sign and share!”

Pastor of the 3,000-member Light Presbyterian Church located in the Toronto area, Lim went to North Korea in January of 2015 as part of a mission trip.

By February of last year, Lim’s family and friends had fallen out of contact with him and later it was revealed that the pastor was arrested by North Korean officials.

The government-controlled KCNA media station said Lim was guilty of “[committing] anti-DPRK religious activities, [conducting] false propaganda among overseas Koreans, and [taking] active part in the operation of the U.S. and (a South Korean) conservative group to lure and abduct DPRK citizens […] in their programs for ‘aiding defectors from the North.'”

In December, about 1,000 people held a prayer vigil for the imprisoned pastor at Light Presbyterian Church, with Canadian officials working to get his release.

Earlier this month Will Ripley of CNN got to interview Lim in North Korea, with the pastor saying that he was receiving regular meals and medical treatment as part of his time in prison.

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