Young said North Korea supports Gulags with thousands incarcerated and that it's a "terrorized" country where 3 million to 5 million people are malnourished to the point where children by the millions are at risk of becoming mentally handicapped.

In 2002 Young urged President Bush to raise concerns over the Russian government's role in discriminating against religious minorities, such as Roman Catholics, Jews, Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons.

In that same year Young warned the U.S. government that religious freedom, following the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan, was in danger without increased U.S. involvement.

Young cited the commission's "modest" results in Europe to help governments there change their interpretations of laws that govern "dangerous" cults.

The commission, Young added, has also helped in the drafting of a document that is designed to improve immigration laws in this country for people seeking asylum here.

Young's replacement on the commission was named earlier this year by Time magazine as one of "The Twenty-five Most Influential Evangelicals in America." Land is also the host of two nationally syndicated radio programs.

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E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com