Korean Christian Federation Explained

Korean Christian Federation
Vat Id:(for European organizations) -->
Purpose:Represents Protestant Christians
Headquarters:Pyongyang, North Korea
Owners:-->
Sec Gen:O Kyong-u
Context:north
Hanja:그리스도
Rr:Joseon Geuriseudogyo Lyeonmaeng
Mr:Chosŏn Kŭrisŭdogyo Lyŏnmaeng

The Korean Christian Federation is a Protestant body in North Korea founded in 1946.[1] The federation is based in the capital city Pyongyang.[2] The current secretary general is O Kyong-u. The federation has come to play an important role in international relations involving North Korea and religious organizations in South Korea and abroad.

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]

In 1972, the organization reopened Pyongyang theological college. It published Bible translations and a hymnal in 1983 and oversaw the construction of two new church buildings (via state funds) in 1988.[9]

Following the dissolution of the USSR, the federation has come to play an important role in international relations involving North Korea and religious organizations in South Korea and abroad, particularly in procuring international aid.[10] For example, it has successfully called on the World Council of Churches to organize aid for North Korea.[11] The federation has also been involved in promoting Korean reunification, including a 2014 joint north and south church service organized around themes of peace and reunification.[12]

Organization

The federation is "under close government supervision".[13] The federation itself restricts certain Christian activities.[14] Officially, the institution comprises 10,000 North Korean Christians.

The federation oversees North Korea's two Protestant churches: Bongsu and Chilgol Church, in Pyongyang. It also operates the Pyongyang Theological Seminary.[15] The current secretary general of the organization's central committee is O Kyong-u.[16]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Tan, Morse. North Korea, International Law and the Dual Crises: Narrative and Constructive Engagement. 2015. Routledge. Oxon. 978-1-134-12243-1. 73.
  2. Book: The Europa World Year: Kazakhstan – Zimbabwe. 2004. Europa Publications. London. 978-1-85743-255-8. 2483.
  3. Book: Nahm, Andrew C.. Korea: Tradition & Transformation : a History of the Korean People. 1996. 한림출판사. 978-1-56591-070-6. 525.
  4. Book: Belke, Thomas Julian. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. 1999. Living Sacrifice Book Company. Bartlesville. 978-0-88264-329-8. 124.
  5. Web site: A Moment of Forgiveness and a Moment of Grace . World Council of Churches . oikoumene.org . 2017 . 2017-08-11 . 1 . 2017-08-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170812021622/http://www.oikoumene.org/en/press-centre/files/DrSuhsStory.pdf . dead .
  6. Book: Wi Jo Kang. Christ and Caesar in Modern Korea: A History of Christianity and Politics. 1997. State University of New York Press. Albany. 978-1-4384-0832-3. 158.
  7. Armstrong. Charles K.. The Cultural Cold War in Korea, 1945-1950. The Journal of Asian Studies. 62. 1. 2003. 94. 3096136. 10.2307/3096136.
  8. Book: Charles K.. Tyranny of the Weak: North Korea and the World, 1950–1992. 2013. Cornell University Press. Ithaca. 978-0-8014-6893-3. 1946.
  9. Book: Boer, Roland . Red theology : on the Christian Communist tradition . 2019 . . 978-90-04-38132-2 . Boston . 232–233 . 1078879745.
  10. Book: Boer, Roland . Red theology : on the Christian Communist tradition . 2019 . . 978-90-04-38132-2 . Boston . 233–234 . 1078879745.
  11. Book: Boer, Roland . Red theology : on the Christian Communist tradition . 2019 . . 978-90-04-38132-2 . Boston . 233 . 1078879745.
  12. Book: Boer, Roland . Red theology : on the Christian Communist tradition . 2019 . . 978-90-04-38132-2 . Boston . 234 . 1078879745.
  13. Book: Baker, Donald L.. Korean Spirituality. 2008. University of Hawaii Press. Honolulu. 978-0-8248-3233-9. 145.
  14. Book: United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on the Judiciary. Subcommittee on Immigration. 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. 2003. U.S. G.P.O.. 9780160702693.
  15. Book: Do. Kim. Han. Lee. Hong. Kyung-ok. Soon-am. Dong-ho. Keum-soon. Min. White Paper on Human Rights in North Korea 2015. 2015. Korea Institute for National Unification. Seoul. 978-89-8479-802-1. 221. 2018-02-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20180220213024/http://lib.kinu.or.kr//wonmun/005/0001472282.pdf#page=223. 2018-02-20. dead.
  16. Web site: Religionists Blame U.S., S. Korea for Escalating Tension on Korean Peninsula . KCNA . 22 April 2013 . 26 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150126015333/http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2013/201304/news22/20130422-21ee.html .

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