Sim Myeong-seop

Sim Myeong-seop (沈明燮, 1898 – 1950?) was a Korean Methodist minister. A religious figure, pastor, and writer, he is also well known as the second elder brother of the novelist Sim Hun.¹ His pen name was Seolsong.

Life

He was born in Dangjin County, South Chungcheong Province, and spent his early childhood for a time in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. He later grew up in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, and in Hanseong. After completing his studies at Gyeongseong Seonrin Commercial High School, he studied in Japan and graduated from Aoyama Middle School, Tokyo. After returning home, he took part in managing a shop called Dong-a Women's Store (동아부인상회), and it was there that he entered Protestantism. At the time, Dong-a Women's Store was frequented by intellectuals and served as a place for exchanging information.² After serving as an evangelist at Yesan Church and Asan Church in South Chungcheong Province, he was ordained as a pastor and served as senior pastor of Changcheon Church and Central Church in Gyeongseong. He joined the Positive Faith Group (적극신앙단) organized by Shin Heung-woo and took a leading role in its activities. He also served as a director of the Christian Newspaper Association and as an editorial committee member of the Christian Newspaper, showing interest in the Christian press.

During the Pacific War, he took part in the Chosen Imperial Warfare Service Corps (조선임전보국단) and served as a member of its General Affairs Department, which Shin Heung-woo headed. He also took part, as a representative of the Methodist side, in the merger of Protestant denominations that the Japanese authorities forced upon the churches. After liberation, when internal conflict broke out within the Methodist Church over demands that pro-Japanese pastors and believers be identified and reflect on their conduct, Sim Myeong-seop was named, together with , , , and , as one of the representative pro-Japanese pastors.