Okbong-dong Catholic Church

History & origins

Catholic faith in the Jinju area began to take root in the mid-nineteenth century as believers who had fled persecution in Gyeongsang and Jeolla settled in western Gyeongsangnam-do. Sources from the Diocese of Masan and Catholic historic-site records describe the formation of mission stations and Catholic villages in this wider movement, culminating in the elevation of the Jinju community to “Jinju Parish” in May 1926. The new parish became an important pastoral center for a broad part of western Gyeongsangnam-do.

As the number of Catholics increased, additional land was acquired in 1932 and a modern red-brick church was constructed; it was dedicated in September 1933. The sanctuary became known for its pointed bell tower and Romanesque-influenced brick exterior. When the Apostolic Vicariate of Busan was created in 1957, the parish’s jurisdiction changed, and at the recommendation of Bishop Choi Jae-seon the Franciscans took responsibility for pastoral ministry there.

With the establishment of the Diocese of Masan in 1966, the parish returned to the jurisdiction of Masan. Around this period its name was changed to Okbong-dong, and extensions and improvements to the church followed. As Catholic life in Jinju expanded, the parish became the mother community from which further parishes developed, while remaining a center of memory for the early evangelization of western Gyeongsangnam-do.

The historic church was preserved through repairs and beautification projects and in April 2005 was designated, under the terminology then in use, Registered Cultural Heritage No. 154. In 2017 construction also began on new auxiliary facilities including a small chapel, hall, meeting rooms, and offices. The history of Okbong-dong thus brings together the growth of early Catholic communities, elevation to parish status, modern church architecture, changes in ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and the preservation of a religious cultural heritage site.