Choe Sang-rim

Choe Sang-rim(Korean: 최상림) (17 November 1888 – 6 May 1945) was a Korean independence movement activist, Presbyterian priest, and educator during the Korea's independence movement.

life

Choe was born in Gijang-gun, Dongrae on 17 November 1888.
He graduated from Pyongyang Missionary School (Korean: 평양신학교) in 1926, and became a priest for Dongraeeup Church.
In 1933 he moved to Namhaeeup Church, and in 1937 became a President of Gyeongsangnam-do Presbyterian Conference (Korean: 경상남도노회장)
Starting from October 1938, Choe refused to participate in worship of the Japanese Emperor, which was required by law in the 1930s (see Christianity in Korea: Korean nationalism), then he initiated the movement of antagonism towards Japanese Shinto Shrine worship by focusing on Namhae area.
As the movement of antagonism towards Japanese Shinto Shrine worship was prohibited by the Japanese colonial power during that time, Choe was eventually arrested and placed under the prison of Pyongyang with other anti-Japanese Shrine worship activists.
On 6 May 1945, due to the remnant of harsh torturing, Choe eventually died in the prison.
In 1991, the government of South Korea conferred the Order of Merit for National Foundation on Choe Sang-rim

Ministry of Patriots' and Veterans' Affairs (South Korea)|https://web.archive.org/web/20130504203822/http://english.mpva.go.kr/
The History of Korean Church's persecution (Korean: 한국교회박해사(韓國敎會迫害史))

(최훈, 예수교문서선교회), 1979

The history of Korean religious faith experiences (Korean: 한국교회신앙체험사)(고택구편, 복음세계사), 1954