Ham Seok-heon (13 March 1901 – 4 February 1989) was a notable figure in the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) movement in Korea, and was nicknamed the "Gandhi of Korea." Ham was an important Asian voice for human rights and non-violence during the 20th century, despite numerous imprisonments for his convictions. He was a Quaker who concluded that all religions are on common ground in terms of human beings, a view shared by many Quakers.
He encouraged peace and democracy and promoted non-violence movement known as “seed idea” (ssi-al sasang), consistently present in his famous books “Korean History Seen through a Will” published in 1948, “Human Revolution” in 1961, “History and People” in 1964, "Queen of Suffering: a spiritual history of Korea" edited in 1985. He was also a poet and wrote about 120 poems such as “Song of the West Wind” written in 1983. In 2000, Sok-Hon Ham was selected by the Republic of Korea as a national cultural figure.
Ham was born in Pyong-an Province, currently North Korea and grew up as a Presbyterian Christian. In 1919, he joined the March 1st Movement, the beginning of Korean resistance to Japanese occupation. He lost his place in Pyongyang Public High School. In 1923 he graduated from Osan High School and went to Japan to study to become a teacher. There he first encountered the Non-Church movement, an indigenous Japanese Christian movement that had no liturgy, sacraments or ordained clergy. It spoke out against social injustices and advocated pacifism.
March 13, 1901: Born in North Pyong'an Province (Yong-Cheon)
1906: Entered a missionary school of Deok-il Elementary School
1914: Graduated from Deok-il Elementary School
1916: Graduated from Yang-shi Public Elementary School, and entered Pyongyang public high school
1919: After protesting against Japanese colonial regime in Korea, quit Pyongyang public highschool
1923: Graduated from Osan high school, and went to Japan to take his studies in Tokyo school of education
1924-1928: Studied the bible under Uchimura Kanzo with Kim Kyo-shin and Song Du-Yong
1928: Graduated from Tokyo school of education
1928-1938: Taught history and ethics at Osan highschool
1934: Serially published “Korean History Seen through a Will” in ‘Seong-seo Chosun’ magazine
1938: After protesting against Japanese colonial regime in Korea, quit working as a teacher at Osan highschool
1940-1941: After working at Songsan agricultural&educational school, imprisoned as a protestor against the Japanese colonial regime(schemed by the Japanese colonial regime)
1942-1943: After writing several articles against Japanese colonial regime in Korea for a monthly magazine 'Seong-seo-Chosun(Bible Korea)', imprisoned at Seo-Dae-Moon prison
1945: Appointed as a minister of education for Northern Pyung-an province
1947: Imprisoned as an organizor or of a student protests against the Soviet (schemed by the Soviet)
1956: He criticized social and political problems in an editorial paper, Sasang-gye.
1958: Imprisoned for writing an article “Must be a Thinking People to Live” which criticizes the autocratic regime and began his religious career as the Korean representative of Quaker.
1961-1963: Studied at the Quaker schools Pendle Hill in the US and Woodbrooke in Britain.
1963: Protested against General Park Chung-hee becoming to run for the presidency
1965: Protested against Japanese regime and president Park Chung-hee for their attempt for an alliance
1974: After protesting against President Park Chung-hee for his attempt to change the constitution to be elected again, convicted
1979: Nominated for Nobel peace prize by American Friends Service Committee
1985: Nominated again for Nobel peace prize by American Friends Service Committee
1987: received the first Inchon-award, given to a person who contributed in the development of press and media.
February 4, 1989: Died in Seoul National University Hospital
2002: After his death, he received the “Accolade for Founding a Nation”, as a sign of recognition from the nation.
