As of April 2013, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) reported 85,628 members, 16 stakes, six districts,and 128 Congregations (83 wards and 45 branches), four missions, and one temple in South Korea.
Contents
History
Korea was introduced to the LDS Church by church members serving in the U.S. military during the Korean War.
The first Korean member of the church was Kim Ho Jik, who joined the church in July 1951 while obtaining his doctorate at Cornell University. After finishing his doctorate, Kim returned to Korea and served as the Minister of Education in the Syngman Rhee administration. As an influential figure in education and the community, he served in the church and contributed immensely to the growth of the LDS Church in Korea.
During the Korean War, Korean citizens who worshiped with U.S. military servicemen at LDS Church services in Pusan and Seoul began to be baptized members of the church.
Elders Don G. Powell and Richard L. Detton were the first Mormon missionaries in Korea; they arrived on April 20, 1956.
In 1967, the first Korean-language version of the Book of Mormon was published.
The LDS Church has 450 full-time missionaries serving in four missions in South Korea.
In 2005, the church changed its name in Korea from "말일성도 예수 그리스도 교회" to "예수 그리스도 후기 성도 교회".
Missions
Temple
April 14, 1985, the Korean Temple of the church was dedicated. In the LDS Church, there is a distinction between a meetinghouse and a Temple. By 1985, there were numerous meetinghouses but only one temple in Korea.