A 61-year-old resident in North Korea's Ryanggang province was tied with rope, assaulted and arrested after he returned from China on charges of spying, as he had allegedly contacted his Christian relatives. 

According to Radio Free Asia, The North Korean citizen, Kim Seung-mo, a resident of the Wiyon area of Hyesan city, was dragged by state security officials in front of Wiyon train station last week.

'It happened on the third day following his return from visiting relatives in China,' a source from the province told RFA's Korean Service.

'I witnessed him being dragged by state security officials in front of Wiyon train station,' he said. 'There were about 3,000 people getting ready for the military march to Mount Paektu, who were about to depart for Samjiyon county in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the victorious Battle of Pochonbo.'

Mount Paektu is an extinct volcano on the border between North Korea and China. It is sacred to North and South Koreans alike and is the legendary birthplace of Dangun Wanggeom, who is believed to be the founder of the first Korean kingdom around 2333 BC.

According to the anonymous source, Kim was beaten and tied with rope as he was dragged out from a town behind Wiyon brewery.

The source also confirmed that there were obvious signs of violent assault because the man had split lips, black eyes and appeared to have sustained an injury to one of his legs.

A second source who lives in Yanggang province told RFA on Tuesday that Kim used to work at the Wiyon substation where electricity is converted into distributable voltage, but retired in March.

'Since he retired, he hasn't been doing anything, though he recently visited relatives in China to lend a hand to his wife who sells used clothes on the black market,' said the source who requested anonymity.

'After he came back from China, he openly told his neighbors that his relatives attended a Christian church, and the church's pastor collected many used clothes from parishioners for him,' he said.

'It seems like someone informed state security agents about him,' he added.

The Ministry of State Security, which reports directly to leader Kim Jong Un, is the regime's secret police force. Experts say that it is known for its brutality and human rights abuses.

'All North Korean travelers returning from China are required to report their whereabouts and details about their activities.'

'In Kim's case, he was arrested on charges of spying because he did not report the fact that his relatives are churchgoers and that the church pastor helped him,' the source said.

Though Christian missionaries were active on the Korean peninsula during the time of the Japanese occupation before World War II, communist and atheist North Korea views Christianity as a contemptable Western religion.

The regime treats Christians hostilely because it wants nothing to alter citizens' loyalty to the state.

To avoid arrests and being sent to labour camps, North Korea's small community of Christians must conceal their faith to the fullest extent.