Shin Seok-gu (May 3, 1875 – October 10, 1950) was a Methodist pastor and independence activist during the Japanese colonial period, recognized as one of the 33 national representatives in the March 1st Movement. Born into a Confucian family, he initially studied classical Chinese but later converted to Protestantism in 1907. After entering Hyupsung Theological Seminary, he received ordination as a pastor in 1917. During the 1919 March 1st Movement, he was arrested for his involvement and subsequently sentenced to prison.
Throughout his pastoral career, Shin staunchly opposed Japanese imperial policies, notably refusing to participate in state-mandated Shinto shrine worship and the “Victory Prayer Services” during the Pacific War. He also rejected the government’s 1940 directive for Koreans to adopt Japanese surnames, resulting in his designation as a person of interest by the authorities.
After Korea’s liberation, Shin served as a pastor in South Pyongan Province, where he opposed the establishment of the North Korean People’s Committee and actively engaged in anti-communist activities. His actions led to multiple imprisonments in 1946 and 1947. Despite calls to flee to the South, he refused, citing his responsibility to his congregation. In 1949, he was arrested again for his anti-communist activities, and during the Korean War, he was executed by firing squad at Pyongyang Prison.
In 1963, the South Korean government posthumously awarded him the Order of Merit for National Foundation (Presidential Medal) in recognition of his contributions. A statue in his honor stands in Samil Park, Cheongju, South Korea.
Translation:
Celebrating the Honorable Elder Geumam’s Longevity Banquet
At the celebratory banquet of longevity, there is wine, and we raise a toast.
How many, if any, could match your perfect character?
How splendid it is, the enterprise passed down through generations in Luoyang.
It resembles the immortal canopy set upon the flatlands.
Your self-discipline is such that you reflect thrice daily,
And your cultivation of virtue knows no bounds, earning you the Five Blessings.
In the fragrant garden of orchids, the colorful dancers move in harmony with the melodies of the gayageum,
And the thousand-year-old Sea Pavilion offers omens without hesitation.
Respectfully written by Shin Seok-gu
