Korean missions in the Philippines started with Pastor Choi Chan-Young from the Presbyterian Church in Korea (TongHap; cf. Korea no. 14), who worked in the Philippines for the Bible Society from 1974 to 1977. At about the same time Rev. Han Sang-Hyu, a Meth missionary, began work for the Meth church. In 1977 Rev. Kim Hwal-Young, who had to leave Vietnam after the victory of the socialist revolution, arrived in the Philippines and began work in Manila in 1978. Since he was unable to establish constructive relations with the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (cf. no. 1), he sought to revive the Presbyterian Church, which had become part of the United Church in 1948. Very soon the Evangelical Presbyterian Mission (EPM) was registered with the government. The Mission became the instrument through which missionaries from both Korea and Japan were invited to start work in the Philippines. In 1981 Korean missionaries agreed to establish one Presb denomination. As the number of missionaries grew, conflicts arose among them. But more serious were the tensions between the Korean missionaries and the local Filipino church. The need for harmonious collaboration among missionaries became even more evident. In 1983 the Presbyterian School of Theology was founded, later renamed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Soon students who had graduated from the seminary were ordained. In 1987 the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the Philippines was established. In 1989 the first split occurred in the church. Rev. Kim You-Shik from the Presbyterian Church in Korea (HapDong; cf. Korea no. 15) started the Reformed Church in the Philippines. But new efforts toward unity were undertaken. In 1989 twenty Korean missionaries from various Presb churches in Korea (PCK, cf. Korea no. 14; KoShin, cf. Korea no. 1; HapDongBoSu, cf. Korea no. 29) expressed their commitment to unity in the Manila Manifest. They appealed to leaders at home to approve of their action. They were joined by some American missionaries from the Orthodox Presbyterian Church in America (cf. United States). In 1996 four presbyteries were organized in the country, and the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of the Philippines was ecclesiastically organized. Many Korean missionaries are working outside the PCP and setting up their own congregations. While in 1977 there were 266 Korean missionaries in the Philippines, today they number around 800 (from various Prot denominations). Most missionaries of PCK (cf. Korea no. 14), KoShin (cf. Korea no. 1), HapDong (cf. Korea no. 15), and HapDongBoSu (cf. Korea no. 29) work with PCP; others are acting independently: HapDongChongShin (cf. Korea nos. 35 and 36), HapDong-JungAng (cf. Korea no. 41), GaeHyuk (cf. Korea no. 23). The allegiance of missionaries in certain churches is under discussion (DaeShin, cf. Korea no. 16; HapDongJeong Tong, cf. Korea no. 37).
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