Korean Christian Federation
 Seal of the Central Committee of the Korean Christian Federation | |
| Formation | 28 November 1946 |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Represents Protestant Christians |
| Headquarters | Pyongyang, North Korea |
Secretary General | O Kyong-u |
| Korean Christian Federation | |
| Chosŏn'gŭl | |
|---|---|
| Hancha | |
| Revised Romanization | Joseon Geuriseudogyo Yeonmaeng |
| McCune–Reischauer | Chosŏn Kŭrisŭdogyo Yŏngmaeng |
The Korean Christian Federation is a Protestant body in North Korea.[1] The federation is based in the capital city Pyongyang.[2] The current secretary general is O Kyong-u.
History
The federation was founded on 28 November 1946[3][4] by Christians who had joined the ranks of the new communist administration.[5]
Immediately, it declared that it would support the country's leader Kim Il-sung and oppose the formation of the South Korean state.[6] Back then, the organization was led by Kim Il-sung's mother's cousin Kang Ryang-uk.[7] Although Christians in North Korea were mostly anti-communist, about a third of them joined the Korean Christian Federation.[8] Christian leaders who refused to join were imprisoned.[6]
Organization
The federation is "under close government supervision".[9] The federation itself restricts certain Christian activities.[10]
Officially, the institution comprises 10,000 North Korean Christians,[1] and acts as an inter-denominational organization by playing an important liaison role between the government and the Christians. It is one of three official Protestant bodies recognized in the country.[citation needed]
The federation oversees North Korea's two Protestant churches: Bongsu and Chilgol Church, in Pyongyang.[1] It also operates the Pyongyang Theological Seminary.[11] The current secretary general of the organization's central committee is O Kyong-u.[12]
See also
- Christianity in North Korea
- Three-Self Patriotic Movement - state authorized Protestant body in China
- Korea Buddhist Federation
- National Council of Churches in Korea
References
- ^ a b c Tan, Morse (2015). North Korea, International Law and the Dual Crises: Narrative and Constructive Engagement. Oxon: Routledge. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-134-12243-1.
- ^ The Europa World Year: Kazakhstan – Zimbabwe. London: Europa Publications. 2004. p. 2483. ISBN 978-1-85743-255-8.
- ^ Nahm, Andrew C. (1996). Korea: Tradition & Transformation : a History of the Korean People. 한림출판사. p. 525. ISBN 978-1-56591-070-6.
- ^ Belke, Thomas Julian (1999). Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville: Living Sacrifice Book Company. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-88264-329-8.
- ^ "A Moment of Forgiveness and a Moment of Grace" (PDF). oikoumene.org. World Council of Churches. 2017. p. 1. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
- ^ a b Wi Jo Kang (1997). Christ and Caesar in Modern Korea: A History of Christianity and Politics. Albany: State University of New York Press. p. 158. ISBN 978-1-4384-0832-3.
- ^ Armstrong, Charles K. (2003). "The Cultural Cold War in Korea, 1945-1950". The Journal of Asian Studies. 62 (1): 94. doi:10.2307/3096136. JSTOR 3096136.
- ^ Charles K. (2013). Tyranny of the Weak: North Korea and the World, 1950–1992. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. p. 1946. ISBN 978-0-8014-6893-3.
- ^ Baker, Donald L. (2008). Korean Spirituality. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-8248-3233-9.
- ^ United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee on Immigration (2003). Examining the plight of refugees: the case of North Korea : hearing before the Subcommittee on Immigration of the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Seventh Congress, second session, June 21, 2002. U.S. G.P.O.
- ^ Do, Kyung-ok; Kim, Soon-am; Han, Dong-ho; Lee, Keum-soon; Hong, Min (2015). White Paper on Human Rights in North Korea 2015 (PDF). Seoul: Korea Institute for National Unification. p. 221. ISBN 978-89-8479-802-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-02-20. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
- ^ "Religionists Blame U.S., S. Korea for Escalating Tension on Korean Peninsula". KCNA. 22 April 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2015.
External links
- Korean Christian Federation documents at the World Council of Churches
- Korean Christian Federation news at North Korean Economy Watch
- Korean Christian Federation at YMCA Korea (in Korean)
- Korean Christian Federation at Korea Computer Mission (in Korean)
- 북 강명철목사가 조그련 수장으로 선출 at Minjok Tongshin (in Korean)
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