Where the church stands in South Korea
Protestant Christianity arrived in Korea in the 1880s. By the 1970s and 80s the Korean church was growing at a rate almost without parallel, producing some of the largest congregations in the world and a prayer culture — dawn prayer, prayer mountains, all-night vigils — that became its defining mark.
South Korea now fields one of the largest missionary forces of any nation, second only to the United States by most counts, with particular presence across Asia and the Muslim world. Growth at home has stalled and the church is aging, but its sending capacity remains extraordinary.
Signs of hope
One of the largest missionary-sending forces on earth, and a prayer culture the wider church has learned from.
The honest difficulty
Declining and aging congregations at home, church scandals, and a fast-secularising younger generation.
What "Reached" means
There is an established church large enough to reach the rest of the nation without outside help. That does not mean the work is finished — it means the work now belongs mainly to believers who live there.
In South Korea the majority religious context is Christianity (~29%), Buddhism (~16%), no religion (~50%). The largest population still considered without meaningful Gospel access is the Secular urban South Koreans.
How to pray for South Korea
Prayer is not a substitute for going; it is how going begins. Take one of these for a week rather than all of them for a day.
- Thank God for the Korean church's prayer, and for the thousands it has sent.
- Pray for Korean workers serving in dangerous and restricted nations.
- Ask God to renew a younger Korean generation drifting from the church.
- Pray for Korean believers carrying a burden for North Korea.
Questions people ask about South Korea
Is South Korea an unreached nation?
South Korea is classified as reached. There is an established church large enough to reach the rest of the nation without outside help. That does not mean the work is finished — it means the work now belongs mainly to believers who live there. Roughly 29% of the population identifies as Christian and about 16% as evangelical, with an estimated 13 of its 32 people groups still considered unreached. Figures are rounded estimates and vary by source and year.
How many Christians are there in South Korea?
About 29% of South Korea's roughly 52 million people identify as Christian — approximately 15 million people. Around 16% are evangelical. Identification is high, though active faith is usually lower than the figure suggests.
How can I pray for South Korea?
Thank God for the Korean church's prayer, and for the thousands it has sent. Pray for Korean workers serving in dangerous and restricted nations. Pick one of these, pray it for two minutes a day for a week, and ask one other person to pray it with you.