Korean Christians open Holocaust museum
The Korea Israel Bible Institute decided to inaugurate the space following unprecedented actions by anti-Israel activists.
Canaan Lidor
One of the rooms at the Holocaust museum in Paju, South Korea. Credit: KIBI.
(May 16, 2025 / JNS)
Christian Zionists in South Korea are preparing to open a Holocaust museum on Monday in response to the global surge in antisemitism and the uptick of anti-Israel agitation in their country, their leader told JNS.
The space of about 180 square meters (some 1,940 sq. ft.), which the Korea Israel Bible Institute (KIBI) is scheduled to inaugurate on May 19 at a ceremony attended by local and foreign dignitaries in the city of Paju near Seoul, features an exhibition on the Genocide, Jewish People and the State of Israel, said Mansuk Song, a leader of the KIBI community.
The museum will open 12 years after the inauguration of an earlier Holocaust museum, which has since become inactive, at the National Memorial Museum of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Occupation in Busan, South Korea.
“Our community saw with shock the resurgence of antisemitism worldwide after Oct. 7,” 2023, Song said, referencing the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas after thousands of Gazan terrorists invaded Israel and murdered some 1,200 people and abducted another 251.
Additionally, anti-Israel protesters took unprecedented actions in Korea against Israel, including when Israel’s Ambassador to Seoul Rafael Harpaz was harassed at a restaurant while he was dining with his family on April 22. Activists encircled the dinner table and accused him of being complicit in genocide.
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Such incidents “convinced us we need to educate people in Korea about Jews, Israel, what genocide means. But it’s also important for us to send a message of support and solidarity to the Jewish people,” Song added.
The space in Paju is rented with money raised from community members for the project, he said. Paju, just south of Panmunjeom on the 38th parallel frontier with North Korea, is an artistic hub with a vibrant cultural scene and many museums, which attract many local and foreign tourists.
“So we hope it’s a good location to open a Holocaust museum because it will engage audiences who otherwise may not have gone,” Song said.
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Live Update arrow right icon From the Liveblog of Monday, May 19, 2025
South Korean Christian Zionists open country’s first Holocaust museum
By Zev Stub Follow
19 May 2025, 9:27 pm
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Israel's ambassador to South Korea Rafi Harpaz examines an exhibit at the new Holocaust museum in Paju, South Korea, May 19, 2025. (KIBI)
Israel's ambassador to South Korea Rafi Harpaz examines an exhibit at the new Holocaust museum in Paju, South Korea, May 19, 2025. (KIBI)
South Korea has opened the country’s first Holocaust museum, marking its commitment to remember the Nazi murder of six million Jews and to fight against hatred.
The museum, established by the Christian Zionist group Korea Israel Bible Institute (KIBI) in the city of Paju, opened its doors today in a ceremony attended by public figures and diplomats, including Israel’s ambassador to Korea Rafi Harpaz.
Built after years of work and research, the museum includes a unique exhibition on the Holocaust, the Jewish people, and the State of Israel, KIBI says.
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“After October 7, we witnessed a shocking rise in hatred toward Israel and the Jewish people — even here in Korea,” says Professor Song Man Seok, a leader in the KIBI community and the driving force behind the museum. “It was a wake-up call for us: we must educate the public about the Jewish people, about the Holocaust, and about the real meaning of genocide. At the same time, we wanted to send a clear message of solidarity and support to the Jewish people.”
Israel has had diplomatic ties with South Korea since 1962 and has developed strong trade relations. The country’s citizens have publicly admired Jewish academic and entrepreneurial success, with Jewish history and culture even taught in some schools.
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