On May 22, 1982, the Republic of Korea and the United States of America celebrated
the centennial of Korea-USA relations. This was the day, one hundred years ago,
that the first formal treaty was concluded between the two nations. One of the
many commemorative activities of that day was the Memorial worship service at
the foreigners' cemetery at Yang-hwa-jin, Seoul, for American personnel who
served, died, and were buried in Korea. Among the 320 tombs there, special national
bouquets were presented to sixteen American missionaries. A commemorative service
was held at Sejong Cultural Center with over 4,000 church leaders of both the
U.S. and Korea represented. The service was concluded with the singing of the
national anthems of the two countries.
As was the case in both China and Japan, the initial contact
between the United States and Korea was fraught with considerable difficulties.
The first Americans to land in Korea were four sailors who jumped a whaling
ship ("Two Brothers" from Kokodate in Hokkaido, Japan) and drifted
ashore on the east coast of Korea in June 1855. A decade later, in August 1855;
three more Americans landed on the southeast coast of Korea. In July of the
following year an American merchant ship, "The Surprise," was shipwrecked
of the west coast of Korea on her way from the Shandong peninsula to the Ryukyu
Islands. The castaways were all well treated by the Koreans and were escorted
to China without incident.
The trouble came shortly thereafter when, in late August 1866, an American
Schooner, "The General Sherman," came up the Taedong River to Pyongyang
to explore trade possibilities. On board was a Protestant minister, Robert Thomas,
who had brought a number of Chinese New Testaments. However, the ship was armed
and, in spite of repeated warnings, it continued its exploration without permission.
After a few unpleasantries were exchanged, and after twelve Korea civilians
were shot to death, the ship was attacked and burned; its five American officers
and nineteen oriental crewmen were executed. The minister Thomas landed, escaping
from the fire, but was soon caught and killed by the angry Koreans. When he
was dying he offered them a New Testament and said, "Read this, it's God's
gift for you." Thus, he became the first Protestant martyr in Korea.
At that time, trade with Korea was forbidden to foreigners and the Taewongun,
the King Kojong's regent, reinforced Korea's determination to "repel foreign
barbarians" and remain isolated. A number of gallant efforts by the United
States to investigate the disappearance of the American schooner came to naught
and thus the relationship between the two countries suffered its birth pangs.
Probably few Americans know or remember the Korean American War of 1871 which
was fought between four American warships led by Admiral Rodgers and the Korean soldiers
guarding the coast. The New York Herald reported it as "Our Little War
with the Heathen." The casualties are not clear, but the bombardment continued
for almost a week and at least thirty deaths were reported. It was another decade
after this incident that a formal treaty of amity and commerce was concluded
between Commodore Shufeldt and Minister Hon Sin on May 22, 1882. In accordance
with the treaty, diplomatic representatives were exchanged. The first American
envoy to Korea, Lucius H. Hoote, assumed his duties on May 13, 1883, and the
first Korea envoy, Yong-Ik Min, presented his credentials on September 18, 1883.
From 1905 to 1945 Korea was invaded by Japan and was under their occupation.
But even during this period Korea found many friends in America. Even after
Japanese domination began, the Korean King Kojong often dispatched personal
secret emissaries to maintain contact with the United States. And many American
missionaries landed in Korea and devoted their lives for the cause of Christ
in Korea. These include Horace G. Underwood(Presbyterian missionary who founded
what is now one of the major privates universities in Korea Yonsei University),
H. G. Appenzeller (Methodist), and A. B. Hall (who founded churches and schools).
Modem medicine was also introduced to Korea by Americans. Many educators and
benefactors, including George Shanon McCune (who headed Chosun Christian College
in Pyongyang), suffered under Japanese oppression and shared the burdens of
the Koreans during the colonial period.
Due to the Koreans' tie to the American missionaries, Korean Christians suffered
the most severe persecution. For instance, in a small village called Jaeam-ri
over fifty villagers were gathered in a church building and Japanese police
set fire to the building. This brutal act was reported to the western world
by an American missionary, Scoville. Christian church and church of Christ missionaries
also landed in Korea: Bro. Michel Shelly in 1932 (who had to return to the United
States after one year due to illness) and Bro. John T. Chase in 1936. Bro. Chase
was successful in starting churches and also founding a Bible college. Bro.
Sung Rak So and Bro. S. H. Chae (the father of Bro. Yoon Kwon Chae) were some
of the early converts. However, due to the second World War, the Chase family
and the John J. Hill family were expelled by the Japanese. The Korean Christians
continued their meetings in spite of the persecutions.
After the second World War Korea was divided into South and North Korea.
South Korea was occupied by the U.S. forces until the Korean government headed
by Dr. Rhee was established. This, of course, gave ample opportunities for the
Korean churches to rebuild and grow. But the peace did not last long. In 1950
the North Koreans, backed by Soviet Russia and Red China, invaded South Korea.
President Truman took prompt action and committed U.S. ground troops for what
was termed "police action" under the unified command of General Douglas
MacArthur. The United States suffered more than 157,000 casualties (including
many missionaries and their families) in the three year war - the fourth largest
war in U.S. history. The war d1d not unify Korea, but the United States saved
the Republic of Korea from almost certain extinction. The bond between the people
of the United States and Korea was immeasurably strengthened during the war.
The destruction the Korean churches suffered during the period was beyond
description. More than 500 church buildings were destroyed and thousands of
Korean Christians suffered death on account of their faith. More than 400 church
leaders were captured by the communist invaders and most of them were murdered,
one of whom was Bro. S. H. Chae, a Christian church preacher and the first Bible
college professor. However, the light of the Gospel cannot be put out by the
darkness. In fact, the churches grew almost ten times during three years of
destruction and persecution. There were nine Christian churches before the war
but, after the war, there were seventy-five churches all over Korea. Wherever
the refugees went, they established churches. They started churches in bunkers,
in caves, and in freezing tents. Bro. Yoon Kwon Chae, moved by the singing of
Christians among the murdered corpses of Christian leaders (including his own
father), dedicated his life to the Lord and later became the president of Korea
Christian Seminary. The enemies of Christ may be able to destroy freedom, they
may be able to destroy democracy, but they cannot destroy God!
The Korea churches kept increasing and now there are more man 20,000 Protestant
churches with ten million members. A number of Korean missionaries have been
sent to many parts of Asia and the world. The 1980 World Evangelization Crusade,
held in Seoul, Korea, was attended by over one million Christians. The Korea
Bible Society reported a 6.6% annual increase. The Christian churches alone
now have over 400 churches with two Bible colleges, one vocational college and
university, two high schools, three orphanages, and numerous nurseries and kindergartens.
Many gave their lives in the course of the growth. Some 230 American tombs
at the foreigners' cemetery do not include many who passed away in the United
States. And, of course, it does not include thousands of Korean martyr. But
they all became the "seeds of the churches" and the Korean churches
will continue to grow. The Korea-USA relations will also continue to grow. No
matter what happens to Korea, Korean churches will always be there and the "gates
of hell shall not prevail against it." And the Christians of the two nations
will work together, struggle together, cry together, and someday all shall be
smiling together, because we know, yes, we know, that "LOVE NEVER FAILS!"
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