Historic Site Related to Saint Andrew Kim Taegon in Solmoe Village, Dangjin

This site is said to be where Korea's first Catholic priest, Kim Dae-geon (1821–1846), lived along with four generations of martyrs in his family, including his great-grandfather Kim Jin-hu, his great-uncle Kim Jong-han, and his father Kim Je-jun. In the seminary enrolment pledge that Kim Dae-geon wrote in 1836, his birthplace is recorded as 'Solmoe, Myeoncheon, Chungcheong-do'. The name 'Solmoe' derives from the meaning 'a mountain covered with dense pine forest', and the place is now located in Songsan-ri, Ugang-myeon, Dangjin-si, Chungcheongnam-do. The site includes Kim Dae-geon's birth house, reconstructed in 2004; a monument to the beatified martyrs, erected in 1946 to mark the 100th anniversary of Kim Dae-geon's martyrdom; a statue of Kim Dae-geon; and dense pine forests. Nearby stand a memorial hall dedicated to Kim Dae-geon and an outdoor chapel, allowing visitors to trace his life and legacy at a glance. The site also offers a concentrated understanding of the introduction of Catholicism during the transition from medieval to modern society, and of the persecution suffered in the pursuit of freedom of thought and religion, making it a significant heritage site reflecting political and intellectual change as well as religious history.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Dangjin, Chungnam

Designation

Historic Site · 사적