HEI YUM CHO 조희염

(1885-1950)

Period of study: 1924-1927

Majors: Theology, Sociology

Work & Experiences

  • BA in Theology, Dalhousie University, Halifax (1914-1921)
  • MA in Theology, Knox College, Toronto (1921)
  • President, Korean Students Federation of North America (1925-1927)
  • Treasurer, President, International Students’ Association, UChicago (1925-1926)
  • Korean Representative, Pan-Pacific Conference (1925)
  • Member, Korean Club, University of Chicago (1926)
  • Foreign Student Representative, YMCA of Chicago (1926)
  • Minister, Korean Church of Chicago (1926-1927)
  • Instructor, Young Saeng Middle School (1927-?)
  • Principal, Martha Wilson Bible Institute for Women, Hamhŭng (late 1930s)
  • Missionary, Foreign Mission Board of the Presbyterian Church in Canada
  • Secretary, President, Hamhŭng YMCA
  • Founding Minister, Nambu Church, Wŏnsan (1945?-1950)
  • Executed by North Korean People’s Army, October 1950

Hei Yum Cho was born in Hamhŭng, North Hamgyŏng Province, in 1886. Under the sponsorship of Canadian missionaries, Cho received a modern education at the Kyŏngsin School and Yonhi College (present day Yonsei University) before traveling to Canada to complete his studies. While in Canada, Hei Yum Cho studied theology, receiving a BA from Dalhousie University in Halifax and a Master’s degree from Knox College, University of Toronto. In hopes of receiving his doctoral degree, Cho enrolled at the University of Chicago in 1924, where he would participate actively in both student and ministry activities until returning to Korea in 1927.

While at the University of Chicago, Hei Yum Cho served as the President of the Korean Students Federation of North America (1925-1927), Treasurer and President of the International Students’ Association (1925, 1926), member of the University’s Korean Club, and Foreign Student Representative of the YMCA of Chicago. He also attended the three-day Pan-Pacific Conference of 1925 (held at the Reynold’s Club) as a Korean delegate and contributed scholarly papers to the Korean Student Federation’s organizational mouthpiece, The Rocky (Urak’i). A story surfaced in The Daily Maroon that a heated debate broke out between Hei Yum Cho and a Japanese delegate which ultimately forced the Conference to adjourn earlier than expected for the day. Cho also remained active as a theologist and minister. He hosted and presented at periodic YMCA forums and fellowship meetings and served as a minister at the Chicago Korean Church. 

Hei Yum Cho was unable to complete his PhD before leaving the US in 1927. At that time, he had received an invitation from Canadian missionaries to return to Korea in order to serve the mission. Upon returning Cho served as an instructor at Martha Wilson Bible Institute for Women in his hometown of Hamhŭng and as Secretary and President of the Hamhŭng YMCA. In 1930 traveled to Germany to attend the World Christian Endeavor Convention. As the Korean delegate, Hei Yum Cho discussed conditions in Korea under Japanese colonial rule and entreated attendees to pray for Korea’s independence. He would return to Korea before embarking once more to conduct missionary work in Europe and Russia; his travels were serialized in the newspaper Tonga ilbo. However, viewed as a thorn in the side of the Japanese Empire, Hei Yum Cho would also end up serving prison time as a result of his missionary work. In 1938, Cho joined ministers Song Ch’ang-gŭn, Kim Kwan-sik, and Ham T’ae-yŏng in helping to establish the Chosun Theological Seminary (present-day Hanshin University). In the 1940s, Cho founded and served in the ministry of the Nambu Church of Wŏnsan. Upon liberation from Japan in 1945, Hei Yum Cho even served briefly as the deputy mayor of Wŏnsan. After the 38th parallel was drawn to separate North and South Korea, Cho briefly took refuge in Seoul where he was propositioned by President Syngman Rhee to participate in politics. But having deemed it the right thing to do to defend the Church in North Korea, Hei Yum Cho turned down this proposal and returned to Wŏnsan where he would continue his ministry activities. 

When the Korean War broke out in 1950, Cho was martyred by the North Korean People’s Army on a hill behind Wŏnsan Prison only shortly before the arrival of Republic of Korea Armed Forces. In hopes of preserving the mission of Hei Yum Cho and the roots of the Nambu Church, other church devotees who had been forced to flee south during the war established a new branch of the Nambu Church in the Changsin-dong neighborhood of Seoul, and in 2018, the church held a “Commemorative Service and Unveiling Ceremony for the Martyred Minister Hei Yum Cho” in order to honor his life and martyrdom.