Korean Convention marks 60 years of Baptist work

SEOUL, South Korea — Celebrating 60 years of Southern Baptist work in South Korea, the Korean Baptist Convention recognized 15 former and emeritus Southern Baptist representatives during its annual meeting in Seoul. David Hahn, 74, emeritus pastor of Seoul Memorial Church, organized the trip for the returning representatives. Hahn said he feels a deep sense of gratitude to Southern Baptist representatives for the support they provided following the devastation of World War II and the Korean War.

“Korea was in darkness,” Hahn said. “Missionaries brought us the living gospel. They brought us Jesus Christ.” Representatives also provided practical help as they shared the gospel, Hahn noted, citing free medical care that representative Daniel Ray provided in the late 1950s as he traveled from town to town with a portable X-ray machine. Ray and his wife, Francis, were appointed to Korea in 1954.

As Koreans like Hahn recounted kindnesses shown and lives touched, returning representatives like Lucy Wagner, who retired in 1994 after 39 years of service in South Korea, appreciated the opportunity to reconnect with old friends during the Sept. 27–29 sessions at Central Baptist Church in Seoul.

The Korean Baptist Convention and its affiliates grew rapidly from the 40 churches that appealed in 1950 to Southern Baptists’ then-Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) to send missionaries to the war-ravaged country.

Today South Korea has more than 2,800 Baptist churches with nearly 800,000 members. “American missionaries came in love to help churches, start churches and train pastors,” said Chul Ky Pek, 73, retired director of the Korean Home Mission Board.