THE KUKMIN DAILY

A citizens’ petition to the Blue House requesting help for the release of Missionary Baek Yeong-mo (photo), who at present is confined in a Philippines prison, has been signed by more than 200,000 persons as of July 16. The petition was submitted by Missionary Baek’s wife, Bae Sun-yeong, on June 17. Baek, detained this past May on suspicion of illegal weapons possession and other charges, was held at the detention center of Antipolo Police Station in Manila until July 11, when he was moved to Antipolo City Jail.

Missionary Bae said in her petition, “My husband was arrested in May by the police, who said he had some connection to illegal weapons and illegal explosives. He has been detained ever since.” She explained, “The police said they had repeatedly sent an order for his appearance, which they said he had received, but he did not appear, so they had a warrant for his arrest.” On the contrary, she said, “We have lived in the same village for nine years, and have never received any order to appear…Please look into this unjust situation that is causing us hardship, and take administrative measures to get him released.”

Missionary Baek is undergoing prison life together with 100 some persons in a single cell. Missionary Kim Shin-geun, serving as local staff of the Countermeasures Committee For the Release of Missionary Baek Yeong-mo, of the Korea Evangelical Holiness Church (KEHC; Rev. Yun Seong-won, moderator), said in a phone conversation on the 16th, “I went to the prison yesterday and we held a worship service in the visitors’ room. During the service, Missionary Baek prayed, ‘Thank you for the gift of good fellow prisoners.’”

Missionary Bae reported that on the 15th, when she visited her husband together with their two children, “He said he had met many persons who were suffering hardships in prison, and he was praying for them…There are 1,000 or so prisoners, divided among 10 cells, and he said he would like to get permission to go around to each cell and pray for them. He said that after he is released he is definitely going to do prison mission.”

Reporter Yang Minkyeong (grieg@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)


Original Article in Korean:
“필리핀 옥중에서도 예수 사랑 전하겠다”… 백영모 선교사 석방 국민청원 20만 돌파: 백 선교사 부인 배순영 선교사 “억울하고 힘든 사정 헤아려 이곳서 풀려나도록 도움을”