John Alexander Short (simplified Chinese: 苏约翰; traditional Chinese: 蘇約翰; pinyin: Sū Yuēhàn; Wade–Giles: Su Yüeh-han; Jyutping: sou1 joek3hon6, born 26 January 1939 in Barmera) is a Hong Kong-based Australian Christian missionary noted for his 2014 arrest in North Korea and subsequent release 15 days later.
[1] Short was born to working class Anglican parents in Barmera, South Australia.
He initially catered to Chinese refugees from the mainland while studying the Cantonese language in his free time.
He reportedly read his Bible and discussed his Christian faith with his government minders during that visit.
On 3 March 2014, the Korean Central News Agency aired footage of Short writing and reciting a statement apologizing for his actions in North Korea.