CBCK News
2009-08-27 11:02
6,203
Communication on March 9, 2007
* Statistics of Overseas Korean Catholics


The Statistics of Overseas Korean Catholics published by the CBCK Committee for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants (President: the Most Rev. Vincent Ri Pyung-ho) shows that as of December 31, 2006, the number of Korean Catholics practicing the faith in overseas Catholic churches and missions amounted to 150,421. It indicates an increase of 8,523 or 6% from the previous year. Among them, 68,626 (45.62%) are men and 81,795 (54.38%) are women. Those newly baptized are 4,501 and the catechumens are 2,026.


Among the dioceses and the religious communities, the Diocese of Pusan (8 countries, 27 priests) and the Sisters of the Blessed Korean Martyrs (3 countries, 27 sisters) sent abroad the largest number of Korean pastoral workers.


As compared with the statistics of overseas Koreans published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea, the overseas Korean Catholics are presumed as 2.27% of the total number of overseas Koreans (6,638,338). It relatively shows the lack of evangelization.


There are 110,113 Catholics in North America which is about two thirds of the total overseas Korean Catholics. Then, there are 17,063 in Oceania, 8,672 in Asia, 7,681 in South America, 6,488 in Europe and 404 in Africa.


There are 163 parishes and 162 mission stations in 61 countries for overseas Korean Catholics, for whom 192 priests, 18 brothers and 119 sisters have been sent to those countries to provide pastoral care.


Many of the overseas Korean Catholic communities are concentrated in the United States (90,258), followed by Canada (19,631), and Australia (12,080). In those countries the number of Korean Catholics has continuously been increasing. In Asia, most of the Korean Catholics are concentrated in three countries: China (1,700), Japan (1,230) and Indonesia (1,289).