Now it's pretty easy to make a mistake in North Korea. The government takes the place of God but has created rules that the true God never dreamed of inflicting on His creation. In fact, Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who labor, and I will give you rest." Unfortunately this Scripture and all the Scriptures were strictly forbidden to young Hyok, and to all the people he left behind to this day.

Hyok knew it was a terrible thing to do anything disrespectful to the government's "Great Leader." He would never consciously have tried to ridicule this man-god. But when you're bored, you're bored. Looking at the badge on his chest, the compulsory one bearing the image of the nation's former dictator, Hyok began to doodle. Well, a little more than doodle. He began to re-create the picture that he saw. Slowly, carefully, the badge's surface was reproduced on his paper.

The little boy sitting next to him probably didn't want to hurt Hyok. But instinct told him that something was awry here, and that if he didn't report this incident, he himself would be in trouble.

"Teacher! Hyok is insulting the Great Leader!"

Now, before I unveil the scene that ensued, imagine a similar scene in the United States. Alright, we're a pretty disrespectful nation, let's be honest. So let's suppose it is a strict Christian School down South or out West. You're bored in class. You start drawing. And from pictures you've seen on TV, you start to create the likeness of our President on your paper. Your neighbor sees you. Questions:

• does he report you or try to draw something even better at his desk?
• supposing he does report you, what does the [good Christian but strict] teacher do? Imagine the worst.

Now that you've imagined the worst America might offer, let's revisit Hyok in 1995. Here's what happened, according to his own story:

• He was made to stand in the middle of the room, where
• For five minutes the [female] teacher literally beat him all over his body in front of his peers.
• During this time she yelled at him hysterically to make him realize how utterly awful was the sin he had just committed.
• Hyok was then sent to the back of the class where he was to stay - on his knees - the rest of the day.
• As a final "blow" he was asked to write several pages of confession of his crime, showing his true penitence.