내당 성당

History & origins

The Naedang community began in 1962 as a quasi-parish. Its first leader was Father Rudi Seo Gi-ho, an Austrian priest then serving in the Archdiocese of Daegu. He traveled between Korea and Austria to raise funds for a new church, with support coming from groups including the Austrian Catholic Women’s Association and the Archdiocese of Salzburg.

The church was designed by Austrian architect Ottokar Uhl. Construction was completed and the church was dedicated in 1966; the official archdiocesan record gives January 1, 1966, as the establishment date of Naedang Parish. Its flat-roofed form and emphasis on the cross, rather than the conventional tall spire, are explained in connection with the liturgical and communal spirit being received by the Church in the period of the Second Vatican Council.

Father Rudi also served as a bridge between the Archdiocese of Daegu and the Archdiocese of Salzburg, which entered into a sister-diocese relationship in 1968. The church later underwent changes and repairs, and the archdiocese notes that a restoration was carried out after thirty-six years so that the building’s conciliar character could again be expressed. In 2026 the parish celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving for its 60th anniversary.