The Catholic Church in Korea is part of the worldwide

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

, under the spiritual leadership of the

Bishop of Rome The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the sovereign or head of sta ...

(the Pope). The Catholic Church in Korea originated from contact with the Western world. Trade and the exchange of ideas, primarily beginning in the 18th century, between the Korean peninsula and Europe resulted in the proliferation of books on Catholic teachings, and the spread of Western knowledge. The Catholic Church faced severe persecution under the Joseon Dynasty due to the threat that this newly introduced faith posed against the Confucian-based social and political order. Many major events contributed to the spread of the Catholicism in Korea. The history of Korea following its introduction also had a significant impact upon how it spread, between that of the north and the south, and how these differences still resonate in the modern-day. The Catholic hierarchy in Korea has never been divided between the South and North, in the same manner as the Catholic hierarchy in Germany was never divided between East and West between the artificially created borders. For example, some parts of the territory of the archdiocese of Seoul are located in North Korea. Nevertheless, since the political

division of Korea The division of Korea began at the end of World War II on 2 September 1945, with the establishment of a Soviet occupation zone and a US occupation zone. These zones developed into separate governments, named the Democratic People's Republic of ...

in 1945, Catholicism has had a different development in North and South Korea.

North Korea

North Korea is officially an

atheist state State atheism or atheist state is the incorporation of hard atheism or non-theism into Forms of government, political regimes. It is considered the opposite of theocracy and may also refer to large-scale secularization attempts by governments ...

and does not have diplomatic relations with the Holy See. The Catholic hierarchy has been inactive there for decades (i.e. since 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 ...

), and there are no active Catholic churches in the country. The only territorial abbey outside of Europe and one of only 11 remaining territorial abbeys is the

Territorial Abbey of Tokwon Tokwon Abbey was a Benedictine monastery of the Congregation of Missionary Benedictines of Saint Ottilien, located near the town of Wonsan in what is now North Korea. Founded as a monastic mission in Seoul, the community transferred to Tokwon in ...

, located near

Wonsan Wonsan (), previously known as Wonsanjin (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwon Province (North Korea), Kangwon Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...

in North Korea. The

persecution of Christians in North Korea The persecution of Christians in North Korea is an ongoing and systematic human rights violation in North Korea. According to multiple resolutions which have been passed by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the North Korean governme ...

since 1949 has made any activity in the abbacy impossible. However, the Territorial Abbacy of Tokwon is formally still kept as one of the few remaining territorial abbeys within the Catholic Church.

South Korea

About 11% of the population of South Korea (roughly 5.8 million) are Catholics, with about 1,734 parishes and 5,360 priests as of 2017. By proportion of a national population and by raw number of adherents, South Korea ranks among the most strongly Catholic countries in Asia after the

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and

East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...

Origin of the Catholic Church in Korea

Notable numbers of Europeans first established disparate contact with Eastern Asia in the 16th century. Catholic missionaries in China gave to Korean officials and ambassadors a variety of literature and other items, including an early world atlas, Christian scriptures, and scientific writings; these officials brought with them to Korea these gifts, and exposed the Korean court for the first time to Christian ideas. In the late 18th century, a small group of Korean intellectuals and scholars (known as ''silhak)'' were exposed to Catholicism through Western books and Chinese translations. The growing influx of Western knowledge into Korea facilitated these early encounters with Catholic teachings. As a result, some scholars began to embrace the new faith and lay the groundwork for establishing Catholicism in Korea. These scholars converted prior to the arrival of Catholic missionaries to the country, and relied upon the fragments of Christian literature they already possessed to guide them during this time. The pivotal event in the early development of the Church in Korea occurred when

Yi Seung-hun Yi Seung-Hun (also Ni-Seoung-Houn and baptized as Peter; 1756 – April 8, 1801) was a Korean Catholic missionary known as one of the first Christians, missionaries and martyrs in Korea. Biography He was born in 1756 in Seoul. His father was ...

, a Korean diplomat, traveled to

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

in 1784. During his stay, he encountered Catholicism for the first time, and was baptized, taking the name Peter. Upon returning to Korea, he brought back Catholic books and religious materials, which he shared with friends and associates. This marked the beginning of a small, albeit significant, Catholic community in Korea.

Persecution of Catholics before 1866

In the decades that followed the introduction of Catholicism to Korea, the Catholic Church faced severe persecution under the Joseon Dynasty. The primary reason for this persecution was the perceived threat of Catholic teachings to the existing Confucian-based social and political order. The Catholic faith, emphasizing loyalty to God above earthly authorities, was seen as subversive, potentially destabilizing the established hierarchy. The first official record of persecution against Catholics dates back to 1801 when Siméon-François Berneux, a French Catholic priest, was arrested and expelled from the country. Over the years, the number of converts and the intensity of the persecution grew. The government issued several edicts banning Catholicism and subjected known adherents to torture and execution. Despite the risks, the Catholic community grew clandestinely, and many Korean Catholics died as martyrs for their faith during this period.

Major Event Affecting the Spread of the Catholic Church in Korea

One of the most critical events that significantly affected the spread of the Catholic Church in Korea was the Catholic Persecution of 1866, also known as the Byeongin Persecution. Fears of foreign intervention triggered this persecution, as Catholicism was associated with Western countries, particularly France. The prevailing anti-foreign sentiment further fueled the hostility towards Catholics, making them easy targets of persecution. The Byeongin Persecution was characterized by widespread violence and brutal suppression of the Catholic community. Thousands of Korean Catholics, including clergy and laity, were killed during this period. Among the notable figures who suffered martyrdom during the persecution were French bishop Siméon-François Berneux and Korean lay leader Paul Yun Ji-Chung. Despite the immense challenges faced by the Catholic Church during this time, the persecution did not crush the faith of Korean Catholics. Instead, it further strengthened their resolve, and the sacrifice of the martyrs became a source of inspiration for future generations of believers.

References

*Lee, Ki-Baik. "A New History of Korea." Harvard University Press, 1984. *Eperjesi, John R. "The Catholic Church in Korea: Its Origins 1566-1784." Dissertation, The Catholic University of America, 1977. *Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea. "History of the Catholic Church in Korea." CBCK, 2011. *Baek, Seung-hoon. "The History of the Korean Catholic Church." Jung-eum-sa, 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:Catholic Church in Korea