The emergence of Protestant Christianity introduced by American missionaries in the late 19th century influenced various reform movements aimed at reconstituting Korean society. Today, five of the ten largest Protestant churches as well as the largest mega-church in the world are said to be in South Korea. Professor Park argues, however, that Protestant Christianity appears to have lost its potential for transforming society, and that often the churches are enmeshed in heredity scandals and calumniations. He will examine the causes of these phenomena.
Yong-Shin Park is a professor of sociology emeritus at Yonsei University, Korea. His areas of interest include social theory, historical sociology, and social movements. He directed the Yonsei Institute of Korean Studies, and co-founded an interdiscplinary journal, Hyonsang-gwa-inshik. He takes part in ecological movements as a member of World Without Nuclear Power and Green Korea United where he served as president from 2000 to 2011.