Ham Seok-heon

Ham Seok-heon , born the March 13rd 1901 in the village of Yongchon, in Korea, and dead the February 4th 1989 with Seoul, is a religious thinker, a historian and a independent Journaliste Korea N.

Important voice of the defense of the Human rights and the Non-violence at the 20th century in Asia, it underwent many imprisonments for its convictions, under the Japanese modes and Russian, then under the general Park.

It was formally a Quaker since 1962, but it was also of opinion that all the Religion S are one, being thus distinguished from the majority of the thinkers Christian S.

Him the nickname of " was given; Gandhi Korea n."

Biography

Studies

Ham Seok-heon was born on March 13rd, 1901 in a poor village, Yongchon, province of Pyongan. Its family is Christian. It enters in 1906 to the school elementary missionary of Deok , presbytérienne.

In 1916, it is graduate of Yang-if Public Elementary School . In 1919, then young Christian student, it takes part in the movement of the the First walk for independence , protest against the Japanese occupation at the time of the funeral of the last Korean emperor, Kojong (고종). The movement is repressed hard and Ham Seok-heon must leave its studies and turn over in its village of origin. One long period of doubts and depression follows: Christianity or Socialism ?

Studying in history with the Tokyo Teacher' S College since 1923, Ham Seok-heon makes its first experiment of the prison (during the disorders between Japanese and Koreans). It meets in 1924 Uchimura Kanzo and takes part in its biblical studies. Uchimura is a critic and Christian religious thinker “except church”.

School of Ohsan

After its diploma in 1928, Ham Seok-heon turns over to Korea and sign the 'history ten years to the Ohsan Middle School , only period of its life where it has a recognized trade.

Suspecté of Marxism-Leninism, it is stopped in 1930 by the Japanese authorities. In 1934-1935, Korean History from has Christian Perspective , is published in the magazine Songso Choson (Korea Bible). Modified and republished later under the title Korean History from has Spiritual Prospect: Queen Off Suffering .

Lesson and resistance

In 1938, the authorities impose the employment of Japanese in the schools. Ham Seok-heon refuses and must give up the work of teacher.

With the war, repression is reinforced and the editors of Bible Korea are imprisoned in 1942. Ham Seok-heon spends one year in prison, it is still stopped four times until 1945. At the time of the departure of the Japanese, it is in a role of national leader. Then when the the USSR takes control, it is named Minister for the education of the province of Pyongan. But him to espionner for the Korean religious leaders are asked. Its refusal is worth a new imprisonment in 1946 to him. It decides to flee in South Korea.

It establishes the religious Lectures of Sunday and becomes a prolific author. He is recognized like a religious Master and its influence among the Intelligentsia and the students is reinforced. At the same time, he is criticized by the doctrinary religious leaders for his sights universalists: it is treated Hérétique. He is influenced by the ideas of Teilhard of Chardin.

After the War of Korea (1953), Ham Seok-heon meets Quakers English and American of the Kunsan Friends' Service Links who brought a help to the refugees in the provincial hospital. It is very attracted by their pacifism and becomes member of the religious Société of the Friends (Quakers) in 1962.

Since 1956, Ham Seok-heon publishes its thoughts on the policy and the religion in the monthly magazine Sasang-gye (Thinking World) . Its criticism of the corruption of the government still brings it in prison in 1958, at the 57 years age. It launches a monthly magazine off Voice the Ssi-Al into 1970 which has a central role in the fight for the Démocratie in South Korea. He speaks openly against the mode dictatorial about the Park general and led in parallel about the public studies about the Bible, Quakerism, or Lao-Tseu.

In 1976, a group of twelve political leaders and monk, of which Ham Seok-heon, request publicly with the government to restore political freedoms and with the president Park Chung Hee to resign. Ham Seok-heon, 75 years old, is condemned to eight years of prison, it however is placed under house arrest, then released after the assassination of Park in 1979.

A new military coup d'etat follows quickly, Ham Seok-heon is still imprisoned and its newspaper Voice off the Ssi-Al is prohibited.

Death

In 1988, Ham Seok-heon leaves its bed of hospital to take part in the Seoul Assembly for has peaceful Olympiad . He dies four months later, on February 4th, 1989, at the hospital of Seoul.

Random links: