Seoul Korea Temple

Seoul Korea Temple
Number 37
Dedication 14 December 1985 (14 December 1985) by
Gordon B. Hinckley
Site 1 acre (0.4 hectares)
Floor area 28,057 sq ft (2,607 m2)
Height 112 ft (34 m)
Preceded by Johannesburg South Africa Temple
Followed by Lima Peru Temple
Official website • News & images

Coordinates: 37°33′32.24519″N 126°55′52.68360″E / 37.5589569972°N 126.9313010000°E / 37.5589569972; 126.9313010000

The Seoul Korea Temple is the 37th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

The first member of the LDS Church in South Korea was baptized in 1951. At that time Korea was in the midst of a war against Communist armies, with the UN intervening. Latter-day Saint servicemen from the United States were the first to bring Mormonism to the area.

The first Mormon missionaries arrived in South Korea in 1954. Some years later, church apostle Boyd K. Packer was assigned to travel to South Korea and find a place in which to build an LDS temple. After considering several locations, Packer eventually chose the property which the church had purchased almost two decades earlier. In 1981 the announcement was made for a temple in Seoul.

Gordon B. Hinckley, of the church's First Presidency, dedicated the Seoul Korea Temple on December 14, 1985. The temple walls feature Korean granite with six white spires. A traditional, tiled "hundred-year roof" gives the temple a uniquely Korean appearance. Inside, the temple is decorated with delicate brush paintings, intricate wooden molding, silk wall coverings, gold leaf, dome chandeliers, and white lacquer furniture inlaid with mother of pearl.

After the temple was dedicated, a subway system was built in conjunction with the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. The system included a line that ended right at the base of the hill upon which the temple was built, making the temple even more accessible for LDS Church members.

The temple is located near what is today Sinchon Station on the Seoul Subway Line 2. This station is located near four major South Korean universities: Yonsei University, Hongik University, Ewha Womans University, and Sogang University.

The Seoul Korea Temple has a total of 28,057 square feet (2,606.6 m2), four ordinance rooms, and three sealing rooms.

Presidents

Notable presidents of the temple include Spencer J. Palmer (1988–90) and Han In Sang (1996–2000). As of November 2013, the temple president is Lee Yong-Hwan.

See also

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