South Korea

• Pray for continued blessing on the Korean church and its remarkable commitment to fervent prayer and a broad missions vision.

• Pray for youth to be compelled by a genuine Christian faith rather than the expectations and offerings of the world.

• Pray for perseverance as a formidable missions-sending nation and the flexibility and cultural sensitivity to be effective abroad.

SUMMARY

Although only slightly larger than the nation of Portugal, South Korea in eastern Asia has built the 13th largest economy in the world. The people of South Korea have overcome the nation's lack of natural resources to make their country a leading exporter of cars and electronic equipment. South Koreans are a part of one of the world's most homogeneous nations. 99.8 percent of South Koreans are of Korean descent.

Since their split at the end of WWII, relations between South Korea and North Korea have been strained at best. The 38th parallel that famously separates North and South Korea is the most heavily fortified border in the world. In recent years, South Korea has attempted to reestablish connections with North Koreans by offering humanitarian aid, but the North Korean ' nuclear aspirations and totalitarian rule have made this difficult and often very tense.

While South Korea's history has been marked by wars and international disputes, a sound, praying Church has thrived through it all. Its fruitfulness is seen in the number of missionaries it sends out to the rest of the world, second only to the United States. There is a need to reach the South Koreans who are from multi-generational Buddhist families. Yet, South Korea has the potential to become Asia's first majority Protestant/evangelical country.