Lost in Seoul? Not if you’re standing before this house of faith: \uc5ec\ud638\uc640\uc758\uc99d\uc778. This place has a story etched in time. It is a testament to faith and resilience.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have marked their presence in Korea for over a century. They have enjoyed the freedom to worship. However, they have faced a significant challenge. The relentless prosecution of conscientious objectors to military service has been a long-standing issue.
South Korea did not recognize the right to conscientious objection. It lacked legislative provision for alternative civilian service. Young Witness men faced imprisonment, typically for 18 months. From 40 to 50 Witness men were imprisoned each month. After release, they carried a criminal record. They appeared to have evaded military service. This led to restrictions in obtaining work. It also resulted in various social disadvantages.
Even men who completed compulsory military service faced problems. Those who embraced Bible teachings found themselves in trouble. They wanted to love their neighbor and not learn war. They faced repeated prosecutions. They were fined for refusing continued military training.
The UN Human Rights Committee issued over 500 decisions against South Korea. It cited violations of the rights of conscientious objectors. The committee considered their imprisonment “arbitrary detention.” It stated South Korea was “under an obligation to avoid similar violations” in the future.
In November 2012, Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Korea celebrated their 100th anniversary in the country. Over 100,000 members marked this milestone.
Missionaries first arrived on the Korean Peninsula in 1914. By 1932, 45 people attended the Seoul conference of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Most of them were arrested. In June 1939, Japanese police arrested 33 Korean Jehovah’s Witnesses.
They faced charges for refusing to pray at Japanese shrines. They also faced charges of propagating antiwar ideology. The Japanese police had confiscated 50,000 copies of the Book of Ecclesiastes in Seoul in June 1933. They confiscated 30,000 copies in Pyongyang in September of the same year.
One survivor, Jang Sun-ok, recounted her ordeal. She was arrested in 1939. She spent years in detention. Torture at Seodaemun Prison was the most difficult thing to endure. Prisoners were forced to bow toward the Japanese Emperor. If they refused, they were handcuffed and tortured.
Of the 38 Jehovah’s Witnesses imprisoned during the Japanese occupation, five died behind bars. Even facing death, they urged their children to maintain their faith.
The National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation showcased this history. The exhibit, “Changing History, Unchanging Conscience,” ran in Busan. It chronicled the Witnesses’ neutral stance during Japanese colonial rule. It highlighted the repressive actions that followed.
Professor Han Hong-gu called them the finest example of conscience. The exhibition educated the public about conscientious objection to military service.
The Constitutional Court declared the absence of alternative service unconstitutional in 2018. The Supreme Court ruled that conscientious objection does not constitute a crime. These decisions led to the release of imprisoned brothers. They paved the way for alternative civilian service.
Remember this house, \uc5ec\ud638\uc640\uc758\uc99d\uc778. It stands as a symbol of faith and courage. It reminds us that conscience can change history.