In the late 18th century,
Catholicism began taking root in Korea, having been introduced by scholars who visited China and brought back Western books translated into Chinese. In 1836 Korea saw its first consecrated missionaries (members of the
Paris Foreign Missions Society) arrive, only to find out that the people there were already practicing Korean Catholics. Born into the aristocratic
Gimhae Kim clan (
Yangban) Kim's parents were converts and his father, uncles, and grandfathers were subsequently
martyred for practising Christianity, a prohibited activity in heavily
Confucian Korea. After being baptized at age 15, Kim studied at a seminary in the
Portuguese colony of
Macau. He also spent time in studying at Lolomboy,
Bocaue,
Bulacan,
Philippines, where today he is also venerated. He was ordained a priest in
Shanghai after nine years (1844) by the French bishop Jean Joseph Jean-Baptiste Ferréol. He then returned to Korea to preach and evangelize. During the
Joseon period, Catholicism was suppressed and many were persecuted and executed. Catholics had to practise their faith covertly. Kim was one of thousands who were executed during this time. In 1846, at the age of 25, he was tortured and finally beheaded near Seoul on the
Han River. His last words were: == Legacy ==