Suh Sang-ryun

Suh Sang-ryun (Hangul: 서상륜; Hanja: 徐相崙, 1848-1926), along with his brother Suh Sang-u (Hangul: 서상우; Hanja: 徐相佑), founded the first Protestant church in Korea in 1884.^[1] It was established in the village of Sorae, Hwanghae province, where his uncle lived.^[2]

Suh Sang-ryun was involved in the trade of ginseng in Manchuria and fell ill, coming close to death. He would be nursed back to health by the Scottish Protestant missionary John Macintyre, and baptized by John Ross. Suh would later assist Ross in the translation of the gospel of Luke, helping to produce the first translation of the Bible into Korean.

References

1. Kim, Sebastian; Kim, Kirsteen (2014). A History of Korean Christianity. New York: Cambridge University Press. pp. 58–59.There is a slight debate as to when the first Korean church was established, possibly dating as early as 1879. However, the best supported claim points to the church started by Suh Sang-ryun.
2. Paik, George (1929). The History of Protestant Missions in Korea, 1832-1910. Pyeng Yang, Korea: Union Christian College Press. p. 51.