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Korean Christian Federation

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Korean Christian Federation
Formation28 November 1946; 78 years ago (1946-11-28)
PurposeRepresents Protestant Christians
HeadquartersPyongyang, North Korea
Secretary General
O Kyong-u
Korean Christian Federation
Chosŏn'gŭl
Hancha
朝鮮그리스도教聯盟
Revised RomanizationJoseon Geuriseudogyo Yeonmaeng
McCune–ReischauerChosŏn 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

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ The Europa World Year: Kazakhstan – Zimbabwe. London: Europa Publications. 2004. p. 2483. ISBN 978-1-85743-255-8.
  3. ^ Nahm, Andrew C. (1996). Korea: Tradition & Transformation : a History of the Korean People. 한림출판사. p. 525. ISBN 978-1-56591-070-6.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "A Moment of Forgiveness and a Moment of Grace" (PDF). oikoumene.org. World Council of Churches. 2017. p. 1. Retrieved 2017-08-11.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ Baker, Donald L. (2008). Korean Spirituality. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. p. 145. ISBN 978-0-8248-3233-9.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ "Religionists Blame U.S., S. Korea for Escalating Tension on Korean Peninsula". KCNA. 22 April 2013. Archived from the original on 26 January 2015.


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