A new book, “A Gospel for Workers: Cho Chi Song, Yeongdeungpo Urban Industrial Mission, and Minjung,” was unveiled at the Korea Christian Building in Seoul on 19 January.
The Yeongdeungpo Urban Industrial Mission (UIM) played a key role in the Korean labor movement from the mid 1960s to the early 1990s. CWM supported the publication of this book as part of the series “Prophets from the South.”
The book features three concurrent stories: first, the life story of Rev. Cho Chi Song, a pioneer of urban and industrial missions; second, the UIM in Korea, which Cho Chi Song pioneered; and third, the emergence of Korean Minjung Theology, a theological perspective that grew out of the roots laid by the UIM.
Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum, General Secretary of the CWM, emphasized the global impact of the UIM, stating, “It is no exaggeration to say that Urban Industrial Mission movements worldwide have been significantly influenced by Asian initiatives, especially those in Korea and the Philippines.”
He specifically highlighted the Yeongdeungpo UIM, established through Rev. Cho’s unwavering commitment, as a “global benchmark for UIM missions and movements, exemplifying courage and the active embodiment of faith.”
