To Index| Group | Where | Number of Adherents |
% of total pop. |
Number of congreg./ churches/ units |
Number of countries |
Year | Source | Quote/ Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shinto | Korea | - | - | - | - | 1937 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 140. | "Although the Japanese had made Shinto worship a high priority in Korea, in 1937 they began to systematically enforce mandatory Shinto idolatry for all Koreans. For example, all students at Christian schools were orderred to worship at Shinto shrines. The Roman Catholic, Methodist, and Holiness denominations submitted to the Japanese directive in the face of Japan'ss brutal enforcement measures. They rationalized their acquiescence to Shintoism by calling the blatant idolatry a 'cultural ritte.' The Presbyterians were an exception. Rather than submitting, their denomination's leaders opted to close all of their Christian schools. " |
| Shinto | Korea | - | - | - | - | 1941 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 141. | "The Japanese further increased their persecution of Korean Christians by pressing the people to participate in other Shinto rituals. Korean Christians were induced to renounce faith in Jesus Christ and receive Shinto baptism. As the situation continued to decline, most foreign missionaries left the country. By late 1941, the Japanese were quite convinced that the power of their sun goddess was far greater than this Christian God. Thus, from a spiritual viewpoint, the Japanese initiation of war against the United States was motivated--at least in part--by the belief that they were invincible because of their Shinto gods. " |
| Taejonggyo | Korea | - | - | - | - | 1991 | *LINK* Wilson, Andrew (ed). "The World Religions and their Scriptures " in World Scripture. International Religious Foundation, 1991. (viewed 9 July 1999) | "Korea, since the 1960s, has seen the emergence of religious movements seeking to rediscover the indigenous Korean religion, that ancient religion which is believed to have prevailed prior to the importation of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Christianity. These movements include... the Tae Jong Church, the Han Il Church, the Chun Do Church, and countless small groups of folk religionists. " |
| Tan Goon Church | Korea | - | - | - | - | 1991 | *LINK* Wilson, Andrew (ed). "The World Religions and their Scriptures " in World Scripture. International Religious Foundation, 1991. (viewed 9 July 1999) | "Korea, since the 1960s, has seen the emergence of religious movements seeking to rediscover the indigenous Korean religion, that ancient religion which is believed to have prevailed prior to the importation of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Christianity. These movements include the Tan Goon Church, named after Tan Goon, the ancestor of the Korean people; the Tae Jong Church, the Han Il Church, the Chun Do Church, and countless small groups of folk religionists. " |
| True Jesus Church | Korea, South | - | - | 35 units |
- | 2005 | *LINK* official organization website; webpage: "Find a Church " database-based church locator (viewed 14 April 2005) | 35 congreg. listed: An Dong Church; An San Church; Bu San Church; Changwon House of Prayer; Cheonan House of Prayer; Cheonan House of Prayer; Chong Ju Church; Dae Bang Church; Dae Gu House of Prayer; Dae Jeon Church; Dong Bu Church; Eun Cheon Church; Gang Jin House of Prayer; Gang Nam Church; Gang Yang House of Prayer; Geo Je Church; Gimcheon Church; Gwang Ju Church; Hwa San House of Prayer; In Cheon Church; Janghang Seobu Church; Jeon Ju Church; Kangleung Church; Mok Po Church; Nam Won Church; O San Church; Sam Gye Church; Seo Bu Church; Seo Cheon Church; Seo Do Church; Seong Nam House of Prayer; Ssang Chi House of Prayer; Su Mun Church; Su Won Church; Won Ju House of Prayer |
| Unification Church | Korea | - | - | - | - | 1954 | Crim, Keith (ed.). The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions. San Francisco: Harper Collins (1989). Reprint; originally published as Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions, 1981; pg. 775. | "Unification Church... founded in Korea in 1954 under the leadership of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon; its official name is the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity. " |
| Zen | Korea | - | - | - | - | 1953 | Crim, Keith (ed.). The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions. San Francisco: Harper Collins (1989). Reprint; originally published as Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions, 1981; pg. 825. | "In Korea all forms of Buddhism except Zen were forced to unite in the fifteenth century... Many monasteries were burned during the war with the communists (1950-53), though the south emerged with a strong lay movement, university-centered Buddhist scholarship, and vigorous training programs in Zen meditation at such centers as the Haein-sa monastery. " |
| Atheism | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1993 | O'Brien, J. & M. Palmer. The State of Religion Atlas. Simon & Schuster: New York (1993). Pg. 108. | "Atheism continues to be the official position of the governments of China, North Korea and Cuba. Here, large organizations are to be found and impressive numbers are cited. " Politically correct, but not deep conviction there. |
| Atheism | Korea, North | - | 0.00% | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 79. | "...even Kim Jong Il speaks openly about the spiritual aspects of Juche. However, despite mounting evidence to the contrary, the Juche faithful prefer to view Juche as a 'revolutionary new atheistic philosophy' while avoiding discussion of its spiritual content. In his autobiography, evangelist Billy Graham alluded to the contradiction between North Korea banning 'all religious activity' while proclaiming itself 'the first completely atheistic nation on earth' and maintaining Juche to be a 'non-religious ideology.' Nevertheless, the elevation of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il to god status demonstrates that Juche is a irreversible departure from classical atheism. Juche mandates that adherents worship the Kims... " |
| Atheism | Korea, North | - | 100.00% | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 79. | "...Juche faithful prefer to view Juche as a 'revolutionary new atheistic philosophy' while avoiding discussion of its spiritual content. In his autobiography, evangelist Billy Graham alluded to the contradiction between North Korea banning 'all religious activity' while proclaiming itself 'the first completely atheistic nation on earth' and maintaining Juche to be a 'non-religious ideology.' " |
| Buddhism | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1944 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 3. | "Before 1945, Korean religion was dominated by a mixture of Confucian thought, Buddhism, and shamanism... " |
| Buddhism | Korea, North | - | 2.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994) pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% " |
| Buddhism | Korea, North | 2,253,200 | - | - | - | 1998 | Ash, Russell. The Top 10 of Everything 1999. New York: DK Publishing (1998), pg. 76. | Table: "Top 10 Largest Buddhist Populations in the World "; Rank: #10 |
| Buddhism | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 113. | "The combination of the Japanese occupation, allied bombing, severe anti-Buddhist religious persecution, and two generations of Juche indoctrination have significantly reduced Buddhism's influence on North Koreans... Only a token number of Buddhist temples are permitted to emphasize Juche's respect for Korea's ancient historical roots. The Korean Buddhists' Federation, like those for Chondokyo and Christianity, serves to provide a endorsement by 'religionists' for Kim Jong Il's sacred Juche cause of national reunification... Buddhist monks are not allowed to worship at North Korean temples... " |
| Buddhism | Korea, North | 400,000 | 1.67% | - | - | 1999 | Nash, Amy K. North Korea (series: Major World Nations), Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999), pg. 9, 111. | Pg. 9: "Population: 24 million "; Pg. 111: "Religious groups do still exist in the country. About 3 million North Koreans are Chundoists, 400,000 are Buddhists, 200,000 worship Christian faiths, and another 3 million follow some other form of traditional worship. " |
| Bushido | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 96, 98. | Bushido' Incorporated into Juche...A review of the Japanese preceden tis helpful to more fully understand the implications of the North Korean's recent adoption of 'the spirit of human bombs' terminology... "; pg. 98: "Though the terminology differs slightly, North Korea has accomplished the same thing through the sacred teachings of Juche, Red Flag ideology, and a personal oath of allegiance to Kim Jong Il... " |
| Catholic | Korea, North | 100,000 | - | - | - | 1969 | 1998 Catholic Almanac: Our Sunday Visitor: USA (1997), pg. 333-367. | "No recent Catholic statistics available; there were an estimated 100,000 Catholics reported in 1969. " |
| Catholic | Korea, North | 1,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 127. | "[in 1989] a North Korean Protestant pastor attended a meeting of the National Council of Churches in Washington, D.C... reported that his country had... 1,000 Catholics... ". |
| Catholic | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* Zenit. "DOSSIER: BRAZIL AND MEXICO HAVE LARGEST NUMBER OF CATHOLICS " on "Zenit News Agency " web site (online Catholic news); Archives: 13 June 1999 (ZE99061302). (Viewed 19 June 1999). | "The Statistical Yearbook [for 1997 figures]... However, it cannot give information on the Church in continental China (except for Hong Kong) or North Korea because there is virtually no data. The number of dioceses and ecclesiastical districts in both these countries is 146. " |
| Ch'ondogyo | Korea, North | - | 14.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994) pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% "; listed as "Ch'ondogyo " |
| Ch'ondogyo | Korea, North | 3,320,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year. Pg. 781-783. | Table; listed as "Ch'ondogyo " |
| Ch'ondogyo | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1997 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 116-118. | "Recent North Korean propaganda have highlighted the 1997 defection of O Ik Je (leader of the Chondoist movement in South Korea) to North Korea... O Ik Je's 1997 defection became the propaganda bonanza that added impetus to Pyongyang's effort to show that the truest Chondoists should give preeminence to Juche... Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il's control of Chondokyo now seem so complete that the native religion seems to be tolerated as an ancient form of the Juche religion... " |
| Ch'ondogyo | Korea, North | 3,000,000 | 12.50% | - | - | 1999 | Nash, Amy K. North Korea (series: Major World Nations), Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999), pg. 9, 111. | Pg. 9: "Population: 24 million "; Pg. 111: "Religious groups do still exist in the country. About 3 million North Koreans are Chundoists, 400,000 are Buddhists, 200,000 worship Christian faiths, and another 3 million follow some other form of traditional worship. " |
| Christianity | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1944 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 3. | "Before 1945, Korean religion was dominated by a mixture of Confucian thought, Buddhism, and shamanism... There was also a vibrant and growing Christian community... The majority of North Koreans today have never heard the name of Jesus. The knowledge of God has been obliterated for most by an Orwellian nightmare of repression, demands for total conformity, and isolation from the outside world. " |
| Christianity | Korea, North | 200,000 | - | - | - | 1953 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 146. | "By 1953, roughly half of the 200,000 North Korean Christians had fled south before the highly fortified 'Demilitarized Zone'... border between the North and South became virtually impassable. " |
| Christianity | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1981 | Crim, Keith (ed.). The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions. San Francisco: Harper Collins (1989). Reprint; originally pub. as Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions, 1981; pg. 180. | "Yet where the government... had moved to stamp out the organized church and all individual Christians, as in North Korea... Christianity had become insignificant or else had been suppressed or precluded entirely. " |
| Christianity | Korea, North | - | - | 500 units |
- | 1989 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 127. | "[in 1989] a North Korean Protestant pastor attended a meeting of the National Council of Churches in Washington, D.C. There, he reported that his country had 10,000 Protestants and 1,000 Catholics who worship in 500 home churches. " |
| Christianity | Korea, North | 10,000 | 0.05% | - | - | 1990 | *LINK* Nance Profiles web site (orig. source: 8/20/90 issue of GLOBAL PRAYER DIGEST); (viewed Aug. 1998; now restricted.) | Though once "the Jerusalem of the East, " the country of over 20,000,000 inhabitants now has only an estimated 10,000 Christians. |
| Christianity | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1996 | *LINK* web site: "Monday Morning Reality Check " (Protestant); web page (1996 list): "Eastward shift of Christianity to post-Communist world " by Justin D. Long, 1996 (viewed 12 March 1999) | "There are large underground churches in many east Asian nations which are growing rapidly, particularly in Vietnam and North Korea. " |
| Christianity | Korea, North | 30,000 | - | - | - | 1997 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 127. | "[in 1989] a North Korean Protestant pastor attended a meeting of the National Council of Churches in Washington, D.C. There, he reported that his country had 10,000 Protestants and 1,000 Catholics who worship in 500 home churches. Eight years later, 1997 propaganda set the figure at 30,000. However, in a Juche system where statistics can be manufactured out of thin air, such numbers are entirely meaningless. Only the most naive observer would conclude that North Korea's anti-Christian government would willingly agree to a threefold increase in Christianity. " |
| Christianity | Korea, North | - | - | 3 units |
- | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 60. | "...Christian missionaries note that Communist dictator Kim Il Sung destroyed over 1,500 churches. Today, only three churches are allowed to remain open for tourists to see North Korea's 'religious freedom.' " |
| Christianity | Korea, North | 200,000 | 0.83% | - | - | 1999 | Nash, Amy K. North Korea (series: Major World Nations), Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999), pg. 9, 111. | Pg. 9: "Population: 24 million "; Pg. 111: "Religious groups do still exist in the country. About 3 million North Koreans are Chundoists, 400,000 are Buddhists, 200,000 worship Christian faiths, and another 3 million follow some other form of traditional worship... Korea's traditional religions include Buddhism, shamanism, and Chundo Kyo, a native religion that combines elements of Buddhism and Christianity. " |
| Confucianism | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1944 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 3. | "Before 1945, Korean religion was dominated by a mixture of Confucian thought, Buddhism, and shamanism... " |
| Confucianism | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 119. | "The Juche religion is a significant departure from the Korean people's strong adherence to the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (555-479 B.C.). Juche doctrine maintains that Juche is superior to all other systems of human thought, including Marxism and Confucianism. Juche anti-Confucian policies and propaganda have reduced Confucian influence on North Koreans over the last few decades. Unlike Buddhism, Chondokyo, and Christianity, there does not seem to be an official North Korean Confucian organization. Nevertheless, some Confucian teachings, such as those that emphasize subservience to authority and social harmony, have been adopted by the Juche religion to add to its legitimacy. " |
| Juche | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1977 | Gascoigne, Bamber. The Christians; New York: William Morrow & Co. (1977), pg. 290. | "In one poster of the thirties Stalin was to be seen smiling benevolently in the night sky above the Kremlin. Marx would no doubt have been horrified to see his face mounted on gigantic placards beside Stalin or Mao, but in North Korea--where the cult of personality has been carried to its furthest extremes--Marx, Engels & Lenin have all been dropped from the pantheon. The theoretical basis of the creed is now referred to not as Marxism but Kimilsungism, and Kim Il Sung appears alone on the hoardings. It is arguable that all Communist countries have merely replaced old gods with new, but so far only North Korea has achieved monotheism. " |
| Juche | Korea, North | 23,000,000 | 100.00% | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 1. | "...Juche's approximately 23 million adherents... " |
| Juche | Korea, North | 23,000,000 | - | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 88. | "...many casual observers of North Korea draw improper conclusions by applying a Western cultural paradigm that separates the political from the religious. Such a concept is totally foreign to the Juche mindset shared by 23 million Koreans. " |
| Juche | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Nash, Amy K. North Korea (series: Major World Nations), Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999), pg. 96-97. | "Kim Il Sung constructed his own brand of Communist thought, called chuche sasang, which means self-reliance. From the start, Kim used chuche to rule the country, and it blossomed into the state political ideology when Kim declared North Korea's independence from Soviet and Chinese political influence in the 1960s... Chuche takes the theories of Karl Marx and of V.I. Lenin and applies them to the particular circumstances of North Korea... " |
| Juche | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Nash, Amy K. North Korea (series: Major World Nations), Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999), pg. 96. | "Now the Dear Leader has taken command. Kim Jong Il had long been groomed to succeed his father, and when Kim Il Sung died in July 1994 Korea became the first historical instance of a Communist monarchy... The country now also officially worships Kim Jong Il. Homes throughout the country have framed photographs of both men and copies of their written works. The people are told that Kim Jong Il was born on Mount Paekdu like a mythic god, instead of in Siberia as Western analysts contend. Criticism of Kim Jong Il, even in private, is likely to meet with swift punishment. " |
| Juche | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Nash, Amy K. North Korea (series: Major World Nations), Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999), pg. 96. | "The Cult of Kim and Chuche [Juche]... In many ways, the North Korean people worshiped Kim Il Sung [who died in 1994] as a god. His countrypeople called him the 'Great Leader' and his son, Kim Jong Il, the 'Dear Leader.' Children were taught from an early age to honor the Great Leader as the heroic father-figure who would protect them from outside evils. Even after his death, Kim Il Sung commands great reverence among the people. His huge memorial in Pyongyan receives thousands of mourners daily who pay their respects and lay wreaths. " |
| Kim Jong Il worship | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Nash, Amy K. North Korea (series: Major World Nations), Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999), pg. 96. | "Now the Dear Leader has taken command. Kim Jong Il had long been groomed to succeed his father, and when Kim Il Sung died in July 1994 Korea became the first historical instance of a Communist monarchy... The country now also officially worships Kim Jong Il. Homes throughout the country have framed photographs of both men and copies of their written works. The people are told that Kim Jong Il was born on Mount Paekdu like a mythic god, instead of in Siberia as Western analysts contend. Criticism of Kim Jong Il, even in private, is likely to meet with swift punishment. " |
| Kimilsungism | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1977 | Gascoigne, Bamber. The Christians; New York: William Morrow & Co. (1977), pg. 290. | "In one poster of the thirties Stalin was to be seen smiling benevolently in the night sky above the Kremlin. Marx would no doubt have been horrified to see his face mounted on gigantic placards beside Stalin or Mao, but in North Korea--where the cult of personality has been carried to its furthest extremes--Marx, Engels & Lenin have all been dropped from the pantheon. The theoretical basis of the creed is now referred to not as Marxism but Kimilsungism, and Kim Il Sung appears alone on the hoardings. It is arguable that all Communist countries have merely replaced old gods with new, but so far only North Korea has achieved monotheism. " |
| Kimilsungism | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Nash, Amy K. North Korea (series: Major World Nations), Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers (1999), pg. 96. | "The Cult of Kim and Chuche [Juche]... In many ways, the North Korean people worshiped Kim Il Sung [who died in 1994] as a god. His countrypeople called him the 'Great Leader' and his son, Kim Jong Il, the 'Dear Leader.' Children were taught from an early age to honor the Great Leader as the heroic father-figure who would protect them from outside evils. Even after his death, Kim Il Sung commands great reverence among the people. His huge memorial in Pyongyan receives thousands of mourners daily who pay their respects and lay wreaths. " |
| Korean Christian Federation | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 123. | "North Korea permits only a facade of Christianity to perpetuate the myth of religious tolerance... The government-approved Korean Christian Federation (KCF) presents itself as the presiding body representing 'North Korea's Protestant and Catholic churches.' However, their obeisance to Kim Il Sung... "; pg. 126: "Though Pyongyang's KCF 'Christian' clergy are scrutinized for primary loyalty to Kim Jong Il, many of the laity at Pyongyang's three churches may very well be bona fide believers. " |
| Nonreligious | Korea, North | - | 68.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994) pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% " |
| Nonreligious & Atheist | Korea, North | 16,230,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year. Pg. 781-783. | Table: "Religion ": Divided by nations, with 2 columns: "Religious affiliation " & "1996 pop. " [of that religion]. Based on best avail. figures, whether census data, membership figures or estimates by analysts, as % of est. 1996 midyear pop. |
| other | Korea, North | 630,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year. Pg. 781-783. | Table; NOT atheist and nonreligious, primal-indigenous or Ch'ondogyo |
| other | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 111. | "A token amount of non-Juche religious activity is officially permitted by the North Korean government. This activity is allowed both for its propaganda value in bolstering Juche reunification efforts and to advertise to the outside world that North Korea has freedom of religion. Religions that are permitted such token representation include Buddhism, Chondokyo, Confucianism, and Christianity. " |
| primal-indigenous | Korea, North | 3,730,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year. Pg. 781-783. | Table; listed as "traditional beliefs " |
| Protestant | Korea, North | 10,000 | - | - | - | 1989 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 127. | "[in 1989] a North Korean Protestant pastor attended a meeting of the National Council of Churches in Washington, D.C. There, he reported that his country had 10,000 Protestants and 1,000 Catholics who worship in 500 home churches. " |
| shamanism | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1944 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 3. | "Before 1945, Korean religion was dominated by a mixture of Confucian thought, Buddhism, and shamanism... " |
| Unification Church | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1945 | Crim, Keith (ed.). The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions. San Francisco: Harper Collins (1989). Reprint; originally published as Abingdon Dictionary of Living Religions, 1981; pg. 775. | "After the end of World War II in 1945, Moon began to gather followers in Pyongyang, northern Korea. Opposition from the communist authorities led to his arrest and two years' imprisonment. " |
| unknown | Korea, North | - | 1.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994) pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% "; Listed as "Unspecified " |
| miscellaneous regional info | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1991 | *LINK* Library of Congress Country Studies | "Estimated 21.8 million [total pop.] as of July 1991... Religion: Buddhism, Confucianism, and some Christians and native Ch'ndogyo religious adherents, although religious activities almost nonexistent. " |
| miscellaneous regional info | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* CIA World Factbook web site (viewed Aug. 1998) | "Religion: Buddhism and Confucianism, some Christianity and syncretic Chondogyo; note: autonomous religious activities now almost nonexistent; government-sponsored religious groups exist to provide illusion of religious freedom; Total pop.: 24,317,004. " |
| miscellaneous regional info | Korea, North | - | - | - | - | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 3. | "Before 1945, Korean religion was dominated by a mixture of Confucian thought, Buddhism, and shamanism... There was also a vibrant and growing Christian community. However, under Juche, these competing religions were systematically eliminated, suppressed, or persecuted through a totalitarian system of fear and thought control. " |
| Catholic | Korea, North: Pyongyang | 800 | - | 1 unit |
- | 1999 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 126. | "A 'Catholic' priest at the Changchung Cathedral told a visitor: 'To biuld the church had cost 300,000 won of which 100,000 had been a loan from [the] Government.' In other words, about 200 families had put up a year's income each. With such an allegedly high degree of involvement by the laity in financing the building, one might conclude that Pyongyang had a committed Christian community. However, given North Korea's ongoing campaign to exterminate all Christians, applying a Western church-building paradigm to this situation in a totalitarian state may lead to a dubious conclusion. " |
| Christianity | Korea, North: Pyongyang | 50,000 | - | - | - | 1935 | Belke, Thomas J. Juche: A Christian Study of North Korea's State Religion. Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books Co. (1999), pg. 139. | "...by 1935. In Pyongyang alone, over 50,000 residents were Christians. " |
| affiliated | Korea, South | 15,587,619 | - | 32,445 units |
- | 1983 | *LINK* web site: "Little Korea "; web page: "Religion " (viewed 22 Jan. 1999) | Table: "Status of Religions " (as of 1983); 3 columns: "churches ", "clergymen ", "followers "; presumably this is from a government survey or census.; Other is those groups not included in: Catholicism, Buddhism, Protestantism, Chondogyo, Confucianism, and Wonbulgyo. |
| affiliated | Korea, South | - | 42.00% | - | - | 1983 | *LINK* web site: "Little Korea "; web page: "Religion " (viewed 22 Jan. 1999) | "(as of 1983) About 42% of the population professed adherence to an organized religious community. " |
| ancestor veneration | Korea, South | - | - | - | - | 1998 | Rutherford, Scott (ed.) East Asia. London: Apa Publications (1998), pg. 210. | "Ancestor worship continues to be practised much as it has been for more than 1,000 years. " |
| attendance - weekly | Korea, South | - | 14.00% | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* web site: "The University of Michigan News and Information Services "; web page: "Study identifies worldwide rates of religiosity, church attendance " (viewed 17 April 1999). "News Release: December 10, 1997 " By Diane Swanbrow. | Table: weekly church attendance in various nations. "Source: Based on latest avail. data from... World Values surveys. Results with an asterisk are from the 1990-1991 survey; all others are from 1995-1997 survey. " |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | 7,507,059 | 20.23% | 7,244 units |
- | 1983 | *LINK* web site: "Little Korea "; web page: "Religion " (viewed 22 Jan. 1999) | Table: "Status of Religions " (as of 1983); 3 columns: "churches ", "clergymen ", "followers "; presumably this is from a government survey or census. |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | 5,800,000 | - | - | - | 1986 | *LINK* Nance Profiles web site (orig. source: 2/5/86 issue of GLOBAL PRAYER DIGEST); (viewed Aug. 1998; now restricted.) | "PRAY FOR THE 5,800,000 BUDDHISTS OF SOUTH KOREA. " |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | 11,000,000 | - | 9,231 units |
- | 1991 | *LINK* web site: "A Window on Korea "; web page: "Buddhism in Korea " (viewed 23 Jan. 1999) | "Buddhism has the largest following of all Korea's religions. As of 1991, there were 26 Buddhist sects and 9,231 temples with more than 11 million followers in Korea. Chogyejong is the largest of the sects. It is headquartered in Chogyesa Temple in Seoul and has 24 regional centers across the country. " |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | - | 18.00% | - | - | 1992 | Goring, Rosemary (ed). Larousse Dictionary of Beliefs & Religions (Larousse: 1994) pg. 581-584. | Table: "Population Distribution of Major Beliefs "; "Figures have been compiled from the most accurate recent available information and are in most cases correct to the nearest 1% " |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | 13,380,000 | 30.00% | - | - | 1994 | *LINK* Web site: "Council for World Mission "; web page: "Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK) " (viewed 31 May 1999). | "Population (1994 United Nations estimate): 44.6 million... Main religions: Christianity (20%), Buddhism (30%), Shamanism (5%), Confucianism (5%), non-religious and culturalised Confucianism (40%)... " |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | 11,010,000 | - | - | - | 1996 | 1997 Britannica Book of the Year. Pg. 781-783. | Table: "Religion ": Divided by nations, with 2 columns: "Religious affiliation " & "1996 pop. " [of that religion]. Based on best avail. figures, whether census data, membership figures or estimates by analysts, as % of est. 1996 midyear pop. |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | 10,920,000 | - | - | - | 1997 | Ash, Russell. The Top 10 of Everything, DK Publishing, Inc.: New York (1997), pg. 160-161. | List: "Top 10 Largest Buddhist Populations in the World "; (Rank: 7) |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | 21,595,940 | 47.00% | - | - | 1997 | *LINK* CIA World Factbook web site (viewed Aug. 1998) | Christianity 49%, Buddhism 47%, Confucianism 3%, pervasive folk religion (shamanism), Chondogyo (Religion of the Heavenly Way), and other 1%; Total population: 45,948,811. |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | 12,456,290 | - | - | - | 1998 | Ash, Russell. The Top 10 of Everything 1999. New York: DK Publishing (1998), pg. 76. | Table: "Top 10 Largest Buddhist Populations in the World "; Rank: #6 |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | - | 27.50% | - | - | 1998 | *LINK* Nazarene web site: Nazarene World Mission Society; (major source: Johnstone's Operation World) | Table "Religions " |
| Buddhism | Korea, South | - | - | - | - | 1998 | Rutherford, Scott (ed.) East Asia. London: Apa Publications (1998), pg. 210. | "Buddhism. When it comes to the arts and innovative thought, Buddhism stands out as one of the most important of this country's [Korea's] cultural fountainheads... The Mahayana school of Buddhism, with its acceptance of local deities as a means of drawing the masses to temples for an eventual study of more orthodox doctrines and practices, proved to the liking of the Koreans. Buddhism is Korea's largest single religion. One may find Buddhist influence in modern-day Korea subtle but pervasive. In the thought patterns of Koreans, for example, the principle of karma allows many to take a passive view of the world. " |
| Buddhism - monastic | Korea, South | 22,260 | - | 7,244 units |
- | 1983 | *LINK* web site: "Little Korea "; web page: "Religion " (viewed 22 Jan. 1999) | Table: "Status of Religions " (as of 1983); 3 columns: "churches ", "clergymen ", "followers "; presumably this is from a government survey or census. |
| Catholic | Korea, South | 23,000 | - | - | - | 1863 | *LINK* web site: "A Window on Korea "; web page: "Catholicism in Korea " (viewed 23 Jan. 1999) | "By the year 1863, there were 12 Korean priests who presided over a community of about 23,000 believers. " |
