In North Korea, a church renovated, missionaries jailed

North Koreans read mass at a Catholic church in Pyongyang in this August 17, 2003 file photo. REUTERS/Lee Jae-won

SEOUL (Reuters) - Tucked between trees and paddy fields in a quiet suburb in the west of Pyongyang, Chilgol Church is one of four state-operated churches in the capital of a country that espouses freedom of religion but effectively bans it.

In recent months, the Protestant church has been renovated - its rusted iron roof replaced with new tiles, and its faded brown brick walls repainted yellow, according to a North Korean propaganda video. At the same time, North Korea has sentenced two foreign missionaries to hard labour and along the border with China, both countries have cracked down on religious groups.