Underground Church Founder Kim Myung-il Released in Guangzhou, China, After 266 Days in Custody

Pastor Kim Myung-il, also known as Ezra Jin, founded the Christian Church of Zion in 2007. According to Report 1, the church operated outside official recognition and had approximately 1,500 members. It was dissolved in 2018 but reportedly continued to operate online, using platforms such as Zoom, across about 40 cities in China. Reverend Sean Lang, pastor of the Zion Church in the United States, said the group had continued to flourish since 2018.

Chinese authorities arrested Kim and others in October 2024. Report 1, published by rfi.fr on October 13, 2024, said Chinese strike groups, priests and about 20 believers had been arrested. It said the arrests reportedly took place in multiple provinces, including Shanghai and Beijing, with leaders and followers detained since the previous Thursday. According to a detention notice obtained by Agence France Presse, Kim was arrested in Guangxi District on October 13. He was suspected of “illegal use of information networks.” The Protestant organization associated with the church said at least seven priests, including founding members, faced charges of “illegal dissemination of religious information.” These are reported charges and suspicions; Report 1 does not describe any trial or verdict.

Report 2, published by bbc.com on July 4, 2025, described Kim as the founder of the Zion Church, an underground congregation in China, and said he was released after 266 days in custody. It said he had been arrested during a broad crackdown on Christians the previous October. The report was based on an interview with a person it identified as Pastor Kim Tomorrow. According to Kim, he was taken to White Cloud Airport in Guangzhou on July 3, and a prosecutor had declared him incompetent to stand trial. The report does not state whether the prosecutor’s declaration has been independently confirmed.

The reasons for the release are not confirmed. Report 2 said the release was widely viewed as a direct consequence of President Trump’s visit to China in May. It also reported that the Kim family and an organization named in the report as the China Aids Association had indicated that Trump requested the release, but that neither provided definitive public confirmation. The report added that the Chinese government has promoted “religious China” and amended laws requiring all churches to register with state authorities. The two reports do not describe the same legal status of the case: Report 1 described formal charges and suspicions, while Report 2 relayed Kim’s account of a finding of incompetence to stand trial.

Kim boarded a plane accompanied by the United States Consulate, according to Report 2, and arrived in Los Angeles on Independence Day.