Kumipo Beach and Sorae Church
I spent the first eleven years of my life in a farming/fishing village of Sorae in Korea, now under the control of North Korean authorities.Next to this Village is a beautiful beach called Kumipo covered with white sand. I used to swim there before 1946.
Before 1941, Americans used to come here for summer vacation. In this photo, Americans are playing a volley ball.
The beach was protected from wild ocean waves by a jut of rock. At the top of the rock, Americans built their resort houses.
- In 1885, Horace Underwood came here and found the beach was beautiful.
Underwood was the first Presbyterian missionary from the United States.
Here is a story about him.
- Here is an article written about this
Kumipo beach written by Underwood's eldest grandson.
- Here is a letter from Underwood's youngest grandson reclaiming his property.
In addition, SORAE was the name of the church where I was infant-baptized.
The Sorae church was the first church built in Korea by Koreans in 1884,
and I was a young member of this church until 1946 when my family moved to
the southern part of the Korean peninsula to avoid communist atrocities in
the North. I received the basic Bible education in this church. You will
note that my license plate says SORAE.
I intend to write a history of this church and the dawn of Christianity
in Korea. In the meantime, you are invited to look at some of the
old photos of this church.
Click here .
copyright@2013 by Y. S. Kim, unless otherwise specified.