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32 Seoul Seoul 33

18 Yeongnak Church & Martyr, 19 Memorial Tower of

Elder Kim Eung-Lak Korean Christian Martyrs
33 Supyo-ro, Jung-gu www.youngnak.net 29 Daehak-ro 3-gil, Jongno-gu

Elder Kim Eung-rak was born in Gogwan-
myeon, Uiju-gun, Pyeongbuk-do. He “The heart of the gospel is
attended Sunday school from a young age, to die. Korean churches and
was baptized at the age of 15 and was given leaders live only when they
a deacon at the age of 19. After liberation, die.” (Pastor Young-nam Chae)
The Korean Church
Elder Kim Eung-rak realized that it was Centennial Memorial
impossible to live as a Christian under Building
communist rule and defected to the South
and became an elder in 1944 while attending
Andong Church.
Main building of Yeongnak Church
However, when the believers who defected
to the South from North Korea kept visiting,
he decided to establish a church for refugees,
and he established the Bethany Evangelical
“I am prepared for martyrdom. I won't
Church (now Yeongnak Church) with Rev. Han
avoid the Communist Party this time.
Kyung-Chik in December 1945. As the
It hasn't been a month since the chapel
church was revived day by day, the current
was open, so where can I go after
chapel was completed and a dedication
abandoning the church?”
service was held on June 5, 1950. However,
Memorial Tower of Korean Christian Women’s Mission Center The Korean Ecumenical
the Korean War broke out. Martyrs Building
As a result, many saints took refuge, but
the elder Kim Eung-rak was arrested by Korea Mission of Presbyterian Church in the United States of America was located in
the People’s Army while guarding the Yeonji-dong where the Korean Church Centennial Memorial Building is located currently.
church, saying that he could not escape The Korean Church Centennial Memorial Building was located near Deoksu Palace before
by abandoning the chapel and walked the 1895 but Chungdong Mission was closed after 1895 and moved to Yeonji-dong due to the
path of martyrdom. Elder Kim Eung-rak’s Korean government's plan of Deoksu Palace expansion.
inscription reads like this “Elder Kim moved Youndong Church, Kyungsin School, and Chungshin Girls’ School were established, and
his heavy foot to follow the bloody footsteps the private homes of missionaries were also built in Yeonji-dong. Although many of these
of the Lord who headed to Golgotha, took the traces have disappeared now, the building next to the Korean Church Centennial Memorial
path of righteousness, and fell on the fierce Building which was a missionary’s private residence is comforting because it is currently
red stone. The smile of Steven was all over used by the publisher of the Korean Presbyterian Church.
his splendor, and he died hugging the altar We should think deeply about whether it should be torn down if it gets old. The house of
of Yeongnak until the last drop of blood was the principal of Kyungsin School and the house of a missionary of American Southern
shed, and the first martyrdom in the Bethany Presbyterian Church were located at the current Women’s Ministry Building near the
garden was magnificent.” Martyrdom Monument of Elder Kim Eung-Lak Korean Church Centennial Memorial Building.