The Korea Christian Press: Edit history

Overview

The Korea Christian Press (Hanguk Gidok Gongbo) is a weekly newspaper published by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap) (PCK Tonghap). It is also known by the shortened name Gidok Gongbo. It is a denominational paper (a newspaper published directly by a denomination) that carries the denomination's official news, and it has also presented itself as a news outlet covering the Korean church as a whole. Founded in 1946, it is described as having the longest publication history of any weekly newspaper still in print. Its online edition is available at pckworld.com.

Founding and History

• Founding: The paper was founded on January 17, 1946. It reportedly began as the official organ of the Joseon Christian Southern Assembly, a joint gathering of several denominations in southern Korea held in the year after liberation.
• Acquisition by the General Assembly: The paper continued publishing through the establishment of the government and the Korean War, even while in wartime exile. Because of financial difficulties, however, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Korea took over the paper in 1954. This was the General Assembly as it existed before the Presbyterian schism of 1959; today the paper is published by the PCK Tonghap.
• Digital archive: In 2021, the paper's 75th anniversary year, it launched the Korea Christian Press Digital Archive, which makes past issues available online. Drawing on the archive, the paper ran a series of feature articles revisiting historical events it had reported, such as the 1959 Presbyterian schism.
• 80th anniversary: Ahead of the company's 80th anniversary in 2026, Elder Lee Jae-kyu took office as president. He stated his goal of developing the paper into a comprehensive media organization suited to the age of artificial intelligence (AI) while preserving the strengths of print.

Principal Activities

• Newspaper publication: The paper is published weekly. It covers news of the General Assembly and presbyteries, articles on ministry and theology, and a range of issues facing the Korean church and society.
• Korea Christian Press Sunday: The PCK Tonghap General Assembly has designated the second Sunday of April each year as Korea Christian Press Sunday. On that day, member churches across the country join in prayer for the paper's ministry. The denomination regards the paper's work as a form of literature ministry.
• Online media: In addition to online articles and the digital archive, the paper distributes news through social media.

Organization

The paper is published by the Korea Christian Press Company, an incorporated foundation headed by a president. As an agency of the PCK Tonghap General Assembly, it is a newspaper belonging to a specific denomination. In this respect it differs from ecumenical bodies that have member denominations. Other denominations publish their own denominational papers; for example, the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Hapdong) publishes the Kidok Shinmun.

Assessment

Although it is a denominational paper, the Korea Christian Press has presented itself as a news outlet serving the Korean church as a whole. At the new president's inauguration, Kim Jong-saeng, general secretary of the National Council of Churches in Korea, offered this assessment: although it is the denominational paper of the PCK Tonghap, it represents the Korean church and engages with the global church and with society.