YeJin Jun

GCU 114

February 19, 2018

Religion in South Korea

South Korea is a country and a land of numerous diverse religions that come from all

over the world. One of the reason why South Korea is so unique is because they do not have one

formal religion for the country, but it appreciate and welcomes diverse religion that was

introduced to the country. The origin of these religion is debated constantly since there are no

exact date of when it first came about. However, many people credit many of Korean religion to

Shamanism. This is a belief that “the natural world is filled with spirits, both helpful and

harmful, that can be addressed by people with special powers called shamans” (Kraig, 2013). In

addition, many people also believe that many of these religion were influenced by China. For

instance, Buddhism came into practice when monks made their way from China to Korea, in

which “royal patronage allowed many magnificently decorated temples to be built and today

thousands are still to be found” (Kraig, 2013). Furthermore, Protestantism came about in Korea

when missionaries from different places came during the 80s. Methodist and Presbyterian were

especially successful in converting a significant number of Koreans (Country Studies, 2011). At

first, Christians were prosecuted and not accepted for generations, however, it slowly started to

gain acceptance during 1884. Although many Confucian ideology discouraged Christian faith,

lower classes began to rise, and it Christianity turned to normal practice with “U.S. Army

Military Government in Korea and the establishment of the First Republic, South Korea was

ruled as a Christian nation (Koo, n.d.).

 There were significant impact and meaning behind the popular religion in South Korea.

For instance, the protestant missionaries that came to South Korea “established schools,

universities, hospitals, and orphanages [playing] a significant role in the modernization of the

country” (Country Studies, 2011). Furthermore, the Republic of Korea’s flag represents the

simplicity in life and “sense of harmony and balance” (Kraig, 2013). This was accurately

represented the balance of the diverse religions in the country. Although Korea did not happily

accept all religions when they were first established, it shows that now Koreans practice

“instrumentalist approach to religious life, meaning they subscribe to any religion as long as it

provides beneficial to their goals here and now” (Koo, n.d.). Furthermore, another impact could

be seen through the temples that are built. For instance, the Buddhist temples is a place for

worship and many Koreans consider it as one of the most cultural properties in the country.

In South Korea, there are numerous sacred places, and it is a home to a large presence of

Buddhist religion. For instance, it is a home to a thousand unique Buddhist Temples that is

appreciated by many South Koreans and tourists. A Buddhist temple called Bulguksa is an

example of a sacred place. It was founded in 535 by King Pob-Hung and it is known for its

national treasures that are located specifically there. Buddhism focuses on the enlightenment, and

when placing their temples, they consider which location will bring serenity from the mountain,

sea, river, and valley. Some of the most important temples are the Tongdosa, Beopheungsa,

Haeinsa, Groyeo Daejanggyeong, Bongeunsa and Hwagyesa Temple (Cultural Corps of Korean

Buddhism, n.d.). Beopheungsa was where the Sarira, the relics of Buddha was kept while the

Goryeo Daejanggyeong is on the UNESCO’S memory of the world list. The temples that were

built are not only a place to meditate and pray, but it is also a common place for tourists to visit.
 When taking a look at the connection between the government and religious practices in

South Korea, the government respects the idea that individual should have freedom to practice

the religion they desire. There are currently no official state or country religion, however citizens

are not allowed to avoid serving in the military due to their religious beliefs (Koo, n.d.). When

comparing the North and South, South Korea has much more freedom for their religious

practices. Because the freedom for religion is shown clearly, there is not a strong correlation with

the religion and government.

South Korea is full of diverse group of people that practices diverse religions from all

over the world. Although the history once showed a country that was not welcoming of new

religion, the country has undergone a significant change, and it now a country that respects and

appreciate any religious practices. The acceptance is unique in South Korea, and it is ironic that

North Korea has a strict set of rules that is enforced for the citizens to follow. Throughout the

religion distribution of South Korea, it is continuously changing from years, and it would be

interesting to see what kind of changes the future will bring for this country.
Citation

Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism (n.d.). Major buddhist temples in korea. Retrieved February
19, 2018 from http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/RE/RE_EN_1_1_3_1.jsp

Koo, S. (n.d.). Religions of korea yesterday and today. Retrieved February 19, 2018from
http://spice.stanford.edu/docs/religions_of_korea_yesterday_and_today/

Kraig, B. (2013). Hidden korea: Religion. Retrieved February 19, 2018

from http://www.pbs.org/hiddenkorea/religion.htm

Religion. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2018, from http://www.korea.net/AboutKorea/Korean-

Life/Religion

South Korea - RELIGION. (n.d.). Retrieved February 19, 2018, from

http://countrystudies.us/south-korea/43.htm