The Korea Restoration and Innovation Forum held an academic conference on Feb. 18 at the Yukwangsa Hall of Korea University’s College of Medicine, exploring the impact of Western civilization on Korean society. The event, chaired by Kil Won-pyung, featured a keynote address from Professor Ham Jae-bong, president of the Korean Academy of Sciences.
Professor Ham delivered a lecture titled Christianity and the Making of the Korean People, in which he stated, “The identity of the Joseon people had already disappeared before Korea lost its sovereignty in 1910. When Joseon fell, aside from Min Yeong-hwan and Hwang Hyeon, who committed suicide, no one mourned its downfall. The March 1st Movement of 1919 was not a movement to restore Joseon’s sovereignty.”
“In the late Joseon period, extreme famine, corruption, and exploitation by greedy officials exacerbated the suffering of the people. This is vividly illustrated in Aejeolyang, a poem written by Dasan Jeong Yak-yong in 1802.
“The poem laments the tragic case of a man who, out of despair over unjust taxation policies known as gunpo (military tax levies), castrated himself in protest,” he said.
Ham also referenced Isabella Bird Bishop, a British writer who visited Korea in the late 19th century and documented Joseon society in her book Korea and Her Neighbours. “During her visit, she recorded that the people had lost all hope, leading to rampant drinking, singing, dancing, and theft,” he said. “Moreover, at that time, honor killings of women, similar to those still occurring in some Islamic countries today, were also frequently carried out.”
However, he noted that “with the introduction of Protestant missions, schools and hospitals began to be established. The spread of Christianity played a pivotal role in transforming Joseon’s entrenched feudal society into a liberal democratic one.”
He outlined four key contributions of Christianity to this transformation:
“First is overcoming the Caste System. One example is Baekjeong (butcher class) leader Park Seong-chun. In 1894, his son, suffering from typhoid fever, was on the brink of death. Through a missionary named Moore, he received medical help from Dr. Avison, the emperor’s physician, and his son survived. This led Park to convert to Christianity.”
“Despite his conversion, Park faced discrimination from aristocratic Christians, forcing him to hold separate worship services. However, after a dramatic turn of events, he was finally able to worship together with them at Seungdong Church.”
Seungdong Church was originally founded in 1893 by Missionary Moore at the Gondanggol Chapel. Since it actively evangelized to outcasts, it was derogatorily called the “Baekjeong Church.” In 1895, aristocratic members left the church, but by 1899, they rejoined. Park later submitted a petition to the government advocating for the abolition of caste discrimination and even delivered a speech at the Gwanmin Joint Assembly, contributing to the adoption of the “Six-Point Resolution,” which called for the formal abolition of the caste system.
Ham continued, “Second, overcoming Gender Discrimination. At Dongdaemun Church, men and women worshiped together, marking the beginning of gender equality in Korean Christianity.
“Third, Introduction of Korea’s First Electoral System. In October 1887, Saemunan Church introduced Korea’s first electoral system based on Calvinist principles, electing church elders through a bottom-up voting process.
“Fourth, the Promotion of the Korean Language. Baejae Hakdang (Pai Chai School) employed five students, including Ju Si-gyeong, under its publishing branch, Sammun Publishing. In 1889, it published translated versions of the Bible and Pilgrim’s Progress in Hangul, significantly contributing to the spread of literacy.”
“Korean Protestants learned Hangul to read the Bible, which played a key role in its popularization,” Ham said.
“Christianity served as the decisive catalyst in transitioning Joseon’s feudal society into a liberal democratic system,” he concluded. “It was a revolutionary movement that reformed Joseon society from the bottom up.”
Originally published by Christian Daily Korea, translated and edited by Christian Daily International staff.
