The fate of Kenneth Bae (also known as Pae Chun-ho), arrested and detained in North Korea, has attracted much attention in recent days. From what little is known about his arrest earlier this year in North Korea, it appears that Bae was involved in North Korea’s catacomb church. He seems in fact to have used his visits to the North to do missionary work, and therefore he was indeed engaged in what North Korean authorities would deem “subversive activities.”

Of course, the North Korean Constitution, like the constitutions of other Communist states, claims that it’s citizens have religious freedom. Article