Ham Seok-heon
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (March 2021) |
Ham Seok-heon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | March 13, 1901 |
| Died | February 4, 1989 (aged 87) |
| Occupation(s) | Author, poet, religious evangelist |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 함석헌 |
| Hanja | 咸錫憲 |
| RR | Ham Seokheon |
| MR | Ham Sŏkhŏn |
Ham Seok-heon (Korean: 함석헌; Hanja: 咸錫憲; 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 books Korean History Seen through a Will published in 1948, Human Revolution in 1961, History and People in 1964, and 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, Ham was selected by the Republic of Korea as a national cultural figure.
Early life
[edit]Ham was born in Yomju County, North Pyongan Province, Korean Empire (now in North Korea) and grew up as a Presbyterian. In 1919, he joined the March First Movement. 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. He spoke out against social injustices and advocated pacifism.
Biography
[edit]- March 13, 1901: Born in Yomju County, North Pyongan Province, Korean Empire
- 1906: Entered a missionary school of Deokil Elementary School
- 1914: Graduated from Deokil Elementary School
- 1916: Graduated from Yangshi Public Elementary School and entered Pyongyang public high school
- 1919: After protesting against Japanese colonial regime in Korea, quit Pyongyang public high school
- 1923: Graduated from Osan high school and went to Japan to study education in Tokyo
- 1924–1928: Studied the bible under Uchimura Kanzo with Kim Gyoshin and Song Duyong
- 1928: Graduated from Tokyo School of Education
- 1928–1938: Taught history and ethics at Osan high school
- 1934: Published “Korean History Seen through a Will” in Seongseo Joseon 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 protester 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 Seongseo Joseon (Bible and Korea)', imprisoned at the Seodaemun prison
- 1945: Appointed as a minister of education for Northern Pyongan province
- 1947: Imprisoned as an organizer of a student protests against the Soviet (framed 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 the Nobel Peace Prize by American Friends Service Committee
- 1987: Received 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.
Bibliography
[edit]- Kim Sung-soo, Biography of a Korean Quaker, Ham Seok-heon, Seoul: Samin Books, 2001, 360 pp. ISBN 978-89-87519-49-4
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]- Ham Sok Hon Resource Page at the Library of Congress Web Archives (archived 2002-09-10)
- Queen of Suffering - A Spiritual History of Korea at archive.today (archived 2013-01-24)
- Interviews with Teacher Ham
- Korean Ham, Sok Hon website
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| Other | |
- 1901 births
- 1989 deaths
- South Korean philosophers
- Prisoners and detainees of Japan
- Korean anti-communists
- Korean human rights activists
- Korean anti-war activists
- South Korean democracy activists
- South Korean prisoners and detainees
- Prisoners and detainees of North Korea
- Prisoners and detainees of South Korea
- Korean Quakers
- Quaker philosophers
- Quaker socialists
- 20th-century Quakers
- Activists for Korean independence
- People from Yomju County
- March First Movement people