Chilgol Church () is a Protestant church on Kwangbok Street, Kwangbok, Chilgol, Pyongyang, North Korea. It is one of two

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

churches in the country. It is dedicated to Kang Pan-sok, a deaconess in the

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

church who was the mother of North Korea's founding leader

Kim Il Sung Kim Il Sung (born Kim Song Ju; 15 April 1912 – 8 July 1994) was a North Korean politician and the founder of North Korea, which he led as its first Supreme Leader (North Korean title), supreme leader from North Korea#Founding, its establishm ...

History

The church was founded in 1899. It was attended by Kang Pan-sok, the mother of

who sometimes accompanied her there. According to North Korea, the church was destroyed in June 1950 in the beginning of the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

by an American bombing and Kim Il Sung ordered that the church be rebuilt on the spot where the original one associated with his mother had stood. The church was rebuilt in its original style in 1989, and placed under the authority of the Korean Christian Federation. There is a museum devoted to Kang near the church.

Worship

The church welcomes believers on official visits, foreign travellers to Pyongyang, diplomats, and members of international organizations. Morale, patriotism and national unity are celebrated there and prayers are made for the reunification of the country. The congregation is exactly 201 persons. North Korean defectors from outside Pyongyang have reported that they were not aware of the existence of the church. The church is under lay leadership. Protestant pastors are present in the church, but it is not known if they are resident or visiting pastors. The church is characterized as

, but a denomination is not specified.

Politics

South Korean missionaries consider the church to be an instrument of state propaganda. South Korean pastor Han Sang-ryeol visited the church on 28 June 2010. His travel to North Korea was not authorized by the government of his home country and he was sentenced to five years in prison upon his return to South Korea.

References

Works cited

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