why are so many koreans christians? what's the history?

Question

compared to other asian countries for example, korea seems to have a lot of christians. why?

Answer 1

Hi, a comprehensive answer to this question has to include an understanding of Korean history. Andrew S. Kim has publlished a paper on this very topic, excerpted here from the internet:

"Only about two percent of the Asian population is Christian, and while Christians are to be found in virtually every Asian country, it is South Korea that has witnessed the most spectacular and historically significant Christian expansion, particularly over the past three decades, the period of the country's remarkable modernization.

Since the introduction of Catholicism in 1784, followed by the arrival of Protestant missionaries in 1884, Christianity has proceeded to become--after Buddhism--the largest religion in the country. Today about one third of South Korea's 45 million people are Christian--11 million Protestants and 3 million Roman Catholics.

Since the early 1960s, when South Korea's Christians scarcely topped the one million mark, the number of Christians, particularly Protestants, has increased faster than in any other country, doubling every decade. By 1994, moreover, there were over 35,000 churches and 50,000 pastors, making the South Korean church one of the most vital and dynamic in the world.

In reviewing the history of Korean Christianity, we note certain peculiar circumstances of Korean history: Korea's long history of vulnerability to Chinese and Japanese control, Japanese colonialism and the Korean War, afforded Christianity a unique opportunity to offer a compelling salvation ethos and promise of both personal and national empowerment.

We also note that the profound social structural developments that marked the modernization process in Korea following WWII provided a cultural opening for the "selling" and "reception" of a Christian worldview that harmonized with the industrial transformation of the society.

In view of this, this paper starts with an overview on the origins of Christianity in Korea, focussing on the initial impact of Western missionary efforts, which began in earnest in the middle of eighteenth century. Thereafter I will draw special attention to how the shifting fortunes and misfortunes of the Korean people conditioned their receptivity to Christian evangelization."

His full paper can be found here: http://www.kimsoft.com/1997/xhist.htm

Answer 2

Confuscianism (sorry if I´ve spelled it flawed) has an excessively deep have an impact on on Korean society, whether or not you're Buddhist or Christian. That´s the influence I obtained there. Sorry I can´t support you with the historical past. Have you attempted Google?

Answer 3

Because North Korea is athiest, and these Christians fled to the USA for asylum. Bare in mind, religion is one of the reasons for the USA to offer asylum.

Answer 4

they were allowed to have religion while the chinese weren't. Most oriental countries have mostly christians now, but most are catholics, since thecatholic church was the one who sent medically trained missionary priests and nuns during epidemics in the18th and 19th centuries.

Answer 5

Missionaries!

Answer 6

The end to Tai Kawan Do is the Koriean Christans :-)

Answer 7

the major religion of economic prosperity

Answer 8

koreans are very friendly people

i think they are more open-minded to spiritual concerns