The propagation of Catholicism started in 1784, when Yi Sung-humn returned from Peking, China. Where he had studied the principles of the Catholicism and been baptized. As believers in the new religion increased in number, persecutions came from the government. The number of believers, however, continued to increase, and in 1794 they received Chinese Father Jacob Chou and, later on, other foreign fathers and bishops. The first Korean to become a Catholic priest was Father Andrew Kim Dae-Kon(1822~1846), who died a martyr at the age of 24 after suffering horrible torture.

The 1945 Liberation of our country brought about a rapid growth of Catholicism, which spread into both the general public and intellectuals. The Church has today grown to 14 dioceses with 1,000 Korean priests, 218 friars, 3,456 sisters, and a total of 1,578,000 lay believers. The special Committee of Bishops of the Korean Catholic Church established for the commemoration of the 200th year is preparing, under the slogan "Light on This Land", a variety of enterprises, pastoral conference and cultural activities in celebration of the anniversary.