Family: Canadian pastor being held in North Korea

By Dave Shortell and Madison Park, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 2:38 AM EST, Thu March 5, 2015
A stern looking North Korean guard by the Chinese border customs office. This image was deleted by North Korean officials.
Photos North Korea didn't want you to see —
A stern looking North Korean guard by the Chinese border customs office. This image was deleted by North Korean officials.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Writer Johan Nylander and his guide, Ko Chang Ho, watch as a North Korean guard deletes 90 photos deemed unacceptable. Nylander was able to recover the photos with the help of an IT specialist -- the images that follow are an edited selection.
Deleting the offensive photos —
Writer Johan Nylander and his guide, Ko Chang Ho, watch as a North Korean guard deletes 90 photos deemed unacceptable. Nylander was able to recover the photos with the help of an IT specialist -- the images that follow are an edited selection.
Photo courtesy of Alf Brodin
This propaganda monument of "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-Il by a countryside road, not far from the border to China, was deleted by authorities. North Korea required images of leaders be full body shots.
Hello, Dear Leader —
This propaganda monument of "Dear Leader" Kim Jong-Il by a countryside road, not far from the border to China, was deleted by authorities. North Korea required images of leaders be full body shots.
Johan Nylander/CNN
People standing by the train track, while a guard is monitoring the bike race.
Waiting for a train —
People standing by the train track, while a guard is monitoring the bike race.
Johan Nylander/CNN
In the city of Rason, people are leaning out of windows to get a glimpse of the Western cyclists.
Watching the race —
In the city of Rason, people are leaning out of windows to get a glimpse of the Western cyclists.
Johan Nylander/CNN
A woman and a man walking by the side of the road lined with cornfields.
Pedestrian peasants —
A woman and a man walking by the side of the road lined with cornfields.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Villagers waving by the race path.
Village life —
Villagers waving by the race path.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Guards and custom officials by the border to China.
Heavy security —
Guards and custom officials by the border to China.
Johan Nylander/CNN
By the border checkpoint next to the Tumen River, North Korean customs officials can play volleyball. Officials prohibited any photos of North Korean military bases.
Secret volleyball court? —
By the border checkpoint next to the Tumen River, North Korean customs officials can play volleyball. Officials prohibited any photos of North Korean military bases.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Peasants and villagers standing by the road to look at the Western cyclists
Photos North Korea didn't want you to see —
Peasants and villagers standing by the road to look at the Western cyclists
Johan Nylander/CNN
Guard keeping an eye on the bikers next to a small village.
Keeping watch —
Guard keeping an eye on the bikers next to a small village.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Kids playing outside village houses.
Photos North Korea didn't want you to see —
Kids playing outside village houses.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Spectators waiting for the bikers to reach the finish line. In the background the "Great" and "Dear Leaders" Kim Il Sung and his son, Kim Jong-Il.
Waiting for the cyclists —
Spectators waiting for the bikers to reach the finish line. In the background the "Great" and "Dear Leaders" Kim Il Sung and his son, Kim Jong-Il.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Huge crowds -- some of whom standing on their own bikes -- as they await cyclists by the race finish line in Rason.
Standing on bikes to see cyclists —
Huge crowds -- some of whom standing on their own bikes -- as they await cyclists by the race finish line in Rason.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Custom official and tourist bureau guide checking foreigners' passports.
Document check —
Custom official and tourist bureau guide checking foreigners' passports.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Guides from the local tourist bureau handing out water bottles to bikers, monitored by a guard in the background.
Water checkpoint —
Guides from the local tourist bureau handing out water bottles to bikers, monitored by a guard in the background.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Journalist Johan Nylander and his North Korean guide, Ko Chang Ho. <em>EDITOR'S NOTE: This image was not among those deleted by North Korean officials. </em>
Writer and his minder —
Journalist Johan Nylander and his North Korean guide, Ko Chang Ho. EDITOR'S NOTE: This image was not among those deleted by North Korean officials.
Johan Nylander/CNN
Photos North Korea didn't want you to see

Story highlights

Hyeon Soo Lim, 60, speaks Korean fluently and has visited North Korea numerous times

North Korea has detained Westerners on religious grounds.

Hong Kong CNN  — 

A Canadian pastor, who went to North Korea on a humanitarian trip in late January, is being held in the reclusive Communist state, his family said early Thursday.

The family of Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim said they received notice from Canadian officials that Pyongyang has confirmed that the pastor is being held.

“The Lim family and the church community is asking fellow Canadians and the international community to continue praying for his release and safe return home,” a family spokeswoman said in a short emailed statement.

Lim, 60, went to North Korea on a humanitarian trip as he had done over a hundred times before, said Lisa Pak, a spokeswoman for his church, based in Mississauga, Ontario.

On January 30, Lim traveled to North Korea from China with a companion from the church who last spoke with him the following day.

Lim was scheduled to return February 4 from what was described as a “routine” trip to Rajin, in northeastern North Korea, where his church supports a nursery, orphanage and nursing home, according to the Light Korean Presbyterian Church.

In 1986, Lim immigrated to Canada from South Korea with his wife and son. He speaks fluent Korean and leads a 3,000-member church.

Pak, the church’s spokeswoman, said she doesn’t believe Lim would have engaged in any type of proselytizing, which is prohibited in North Korea.

“He knows the language, he knows the nature of the government, so we don’t see that as a legitimate reason that he would be detained,” she said. “We don’t believe that’s the way he would have behaved. He’s very wise about that.”

Previously, North Korea has detained Westerners on religious grounds.

North Korean prisoners Kenneth Bae, Matthew Miller and Jeffrey Fowles
CNN
video

Related video Former detainee's advice: Keep the faith

Cases include American Kenneth Bae, who was detained for two years after North Korea accused him of trying to bring down the government through religious activities. Bae was released in November.

Another American, Jeffrey Fowle, was arrested after leaving a Bible at a club in North Korea and released after five months in detention.

Aijalon Mahli Gomes, a U.S. citizen sentenced to eight years of hard labor and believed to be a Christian activist, was released from North Korea in 2010 after a visit to Pyongyang by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

CNN’s KJ Kwon contributed to this report from Seoul, South Korea, and Tina Burnside from Atlanta.