Ham Seok-heon

Ham Seok-heon (13 March 1901 – 4 February 1989) was a notable figure in the Religious Society of Friends (Quaker) movement in Korea. He was nicknamed the "Gandhi of Korea" and was an important Asian voice for human rights and non-violence during the 20th century, despite numerous imprisonments for his convictions. Ham was a Quaker who concluded that all religions are on common ground in terms of human beings, a view shared by many Quakers. He encouraged peace and democracy and promoted the non-violence movement known as "seed idea" (ssi-al sasang), consistently present in his books *Korean History Seen through a Will* (1948), *Human Revolution* (1961), *History and People* (1964), and *Queen of Suffering: a spiritual history of Korea* (1985). He was also a poet and wrote about 120 poems, including "Song of the West Wind" (1983). In 2000, Ham was selected by the Republic of Korea as a national cultural figure. He was born in Yomju County, North Pyongan Province, Korean Empire, and grew up Presbyterian. In 1919, he joined the March First Movement. He lost his place in Pyongyang Public High School. In 1923, he graduated from Osan High School and went to Japan to study to become a teacher. There he first encountered the Non-Church movement. He spoke out against social injustices and advocated pacifism. He died in Seoul National University Hospital in 1989. In 2002, he posthumously received the "Accolade for Founding a Nation."