Islam in South Korea

Islam came to the United Korea in the middle to late 7th century. Muslim traders had traversed from the Caliphate to Tang China and established contact with Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. However, the first verifiable presence of Islam in Korea dates back to the 9th century during the Unified Silla period with the arrival of Arab navigators and traders. According to numerous Muslim geographers, including the 9th-century Muslim Persian explorer and geographer Ibn Khordadbeh, many of them settled down permanently in Korea, establishing Muslim villages.

Islam survived in the region in varying numbers of Muslims. But Islam was practically non-existent in Korea by the 16th century and was re-introduced in the 20th century. It is believed that many of the religious practices and teachings did not survive. However, in the 19th century, Korean settlers in Manchuria came into contact with Islam once again.

The reintroduction of Islam in Korea is generally attributed to the Turkish peace keeping force that came to the South Korea during the Korean War. Shortly after the war, some Turks who were stationed in South Korea as UN peacekeepers began preaching Islam to Koreans. Early converts established the Korea Muslim Society (한국이슬람협회) in 1955, at which time the first South Korean Mosque was erected at Imun-dong.[24] The Korea Muslim Society grew large enough to become the Korea Muslim Federation in 1967.

Islam and the Korean Peninsula share a history of mutual fascination and curiosity. From the era of the Silk Road in the 9th century to today’s modern interconnected world, the bonds that were once forged through maritime travel have now been passed on to a new generation of young Muslim Koreans, who try to find a balance between their Korean culture and newfound religion. [2]

Spectacular view of the Seoul Central Masjid in Seoul’s Itaewon neighbourhood

[Photo: Radu Diaconu/Al Jazeera]

Among Muslim communities, there are two distinct groups: Traditional and immigrant Muslims. The "traditional" community of Muslims are usually Korean converts to Islam, while immigrants are people who migrated from Islamic countries to Korea for jobs. Migrant workers from Pakistan and Bangladesh make up a large fraction of the Muslim population. The number of Korean Muslims was reported by The Korea Times in 2002 as 45,000[15] while the Pew Research Center estimated that there were 75,000 South Korean Muslims in 2010, or one in every five hundred people in the country. The first masjid, the Seoul Central Mosque was built in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood in 1976. Today there are also mosques in Busan, Anyang, Gyeonggi, Gwangju, Jeonju, Daegu, and Kaesong. 

In recent times, South Korea is opening its doors to Muslim tourists, trying to fill the vacuum left by the declining number of Chinese tourists following the debacle launched with the deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. Various generations of native Korean Muslims reflect on their double identity as Koreans and Muslims in South Korea. The number of Muslim tourists coming to the country saw a 33 percent increase last year from 2015 and is expected to reach 1,2 million people by the end of 2017, as revealed by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).[2]

Since, one of the major concerns of Muslims of Halal meat, it is available and the Korean Muslim Federation provides halal certificates to restaurants and businesses. Their halal certificate is recognized by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), and there are a total of 14 KMF-halal approved restaurants in South Korea as of January 2018.

A lack of familiarity with Islam, coupled with the headline-grabbing antics of groups like the Islamic State and Al Qaeda, have helped breed a degree of Islamophobia in South Korea. This is often stoked by less inclusive Christian groups and publications, who have come up with alarmist reports overstating the number of Muslims, alleging that Muslims are using tactics like “spreading halal food” and having more children through polygamous families in order to “Islamize” Korea. [4]

In the backdrop of above anti Islam sentiments, let us see how is life of Muslims in South Korea? Well, there have been mixed feelings and expressions:

Living as a Muslim in South Korea has been tough, and is getting tougher due to Islamophobia, said Ahn, who converted to Islam a decade ago after marrying a Pakistani Muslim. “Lots of incidents occur allegedly in connection with Islamist extremists and terror groups, and many Korean people just think all Muslims could be associated with them,” she added. “Hatred and prejudice against Muslims still prevail here.” Ahn, a Korean Muslim, told Arab News.

Bora, a revert explains her experience of being a Muslim in SOuth Korea: "Some people would yell at me and tell me to go back to my country, while others would say that I have a bomb in my jacket," she says. "For them, being a foreigner who is Muslim is acceptable, but not a Korean Muslim. Most Koreans have a stereotypical image of Islam that is wrongly portrayed in Korean media." She works at the Seoul Mosque and gives lectures to many South Korean Christians who want to know more about Islam. She tries to answer all their questions to avoid any misunderstandings. "I was once a non-Muslim and I understand their misconceptions, which is why I want to give them all the information they need to understand what Islam really is, that [it] is, a religion of peace and respect." [3]

However, despite challenges and indifferent attitude towards Muslims, many young Muslims have become flag-bearers of Islam in South Korea via social media. Umar (Daesik) Choi, is part of the new wave of young Korean Muslims who are trying to spread awareness on Islam in South Korea through social media. He promotes Muslim-friendly restaurants in Seoul in collaboration with the Seoul Tourism Organization as part of a video series called "From Kebab to Kebab" on YouTube. And he is not alone in his mission to promote Islam. He is joined in by many other young Muslims and social abound in their efforts.

Muslims awaiting to break fast [Photo]

Despite being a small community, the Muslims as a community is peaceful and vibrant, and they love the country as much as anyone. Ramadan occupies a special month on the Islamic calendar as one of the most significant holidays in the religion. Though not all locals know about Ramadan, they respect the values, beliefs, rituals and customs of Islam. While I attended university, my professor always gave me a break during Ramadan so that I could offer prayers. My working friend said he is always allowed time to pray during working hours, says Majid Mushtaq from Pakistan. [5] 

You may like to watch a short video clip on Dramatic Rise of Islam in South Korea:

Disclaimer: The data for this post has been collected from the references given below. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

To know more about life of Muslims in other non-Muslim countries, please visit our Reference Page: Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Photo - Flag | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

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Islam and Life of Muslims in Non Muslim Countries: South Korea

Muslims in South Korea are just a tiny figure of about 0.3% of the total population, predominantly Christians. As per estimates, there around 150,000 Muslims, 45,000 of whom are native Korean. Migrant workers from Pakistan and Bangladesh make up a large fraction of the Muslim population.

Islam came to the Korean peninsula around 9th century through Arab and Persian traders. Most of these traders were from what is now modern-day Iraq, though some archeological evidence from this era depict Silla palace guardians with distinctly Persian characteristics. Perhaps by then no other foreigners had adventured to this part of the world and in fact it were the Arabs and the Persians who drew the first non-East Asian maps of the region and travel writings involving their adventures in Unified Silla. 

While the traders kept coming and going, some of them settled down and intermarried with the local Korean community, building a community that would serve as a cue for the Islam to take its root here. The official Korean records first witness mention of Muslims in 1024, when a large contingent of Arab traders came to the Goryeo kingdom during the reign of King Hyeonjong. This opened the door to Central Asian traders and migrants to settle down in Korea, as well as some of the Chinese Hui. 


The Koreans were quick at making use of Advancement in science made by the Muslims. In the early Joseon period, the Islamic calendar served as a basis for calendar reform owing to its superior accuracy over the existing Chinese-based calendars. A Korean translation of the Huihui Lifa literally meaning "Muslim System of Calendrical Astronomy", a text combining Chinese astronomy with the zij works of Jamal al-Din, was studied during the time of Sejong the Great in the 15th century. The tradition of Chinese-Islamic astronomy survived in Korea up until the early 19th century.

Thereafter, Islam went through various phases of its existence mostly on the down side as the few who stayed back could not spread the new religion here and whatever remained of Islam and Muslims had almost faded till it was reintroduced during the nineteenth century when Korean settlers migrated to Manchuria. During the Korean War, a large allied contingent from Turkey known as the Turkish Brigade not only assisted with defense, but also with the humanitarian work of rebuilding Korea.  Shortly after the war, some Turks who were stationed in South Korea as UN peacekeepers began proselytizing Koreans. By 1955, the Korea Muslim Society (later the Korea Muslim Federation) was established. As trade with the Middle East increased in the 1970s, Koreans who served as foreign workers in Saudi Arabia converted to Islam, and brought the religion back home. 

A spectacular view of the Seoul Central Masjid located in Seoul’s Itaewon neighbourhood opened. [Photo: RADU DIACONU/AL JAZEERA]

President Park Chung-hee accepted offers to fund the construction of mosques from Muslim nations such as Malaysia, as a token of goodwill, which led to the construction of the Seoul Central Mosque that opened on on May 21st, 1976. Today, there are mosques in Busan, Anyang, Gwanju, Jeonju, Daegu, and Gyeonggi to accommodate a steadily growing Muslim population in Korea.

Life of Muslims in South Korea is not very easy, which generally stems from the lack of familiarity with Islam, as for most of the South Koreans the way of living of Muslims still sound very strange.

Abdul Rahman Lee Ju-Hwa, presently a Muslim Imam, who was introduced to Islam in 1984, had difficult times to tell his friends that he could not meet for barbecue and drinks. "Back in the day, my friends didn't understand my religion and forcibly asked me to drink," he said. "It took some time but today they understand me." Imam Lee looks back at the Korean hostage crisis and recalls a time when local police were stationed in front of the mosque to protect it from protests and bomb threats as a reaction to the kidnappings. "The Korean hostage crisis was one critical point in the history of Islam in South Korea," Lee says.

The post 9/11 days and media infested with news of Islamic State and Al Qaeda, have helped breed a degree of Islamophobia in South Korea. This is often stoked by less inclusive Christian groups and publications, who have come up with alarmist reports overstating the number of Muslims, alleging that Muslims are using tactics like “spreading halal food” and having more children through polygamous families in order to “Islamize” Korea.

The proposed building of a halal food production zone in Iksan, a small city in western South Korea, also sparked a predictable backlash, spearheaded by Christians. Despite sparking a controversy out of proportion, the Iksan halal zone reflects a new and somewhat unfamiliar dynamic, growing more prominent in recent years: South Korea working to attract Muslim visitors as cash-spending consumers rather than migrant workers.

In Seoul, the presence of Muslims is significance and so are the Halal rating signs on many a eatery, beside many shops and eateries owned by Turks, Arabs, Pakistanis and others. 

The strong aroma of spices fills the air in the famous Korean restaurant Eid. Three Muslim sisters — Dina, Nana and Nurul Kamarul — sit enjoying bibimbap and kimchi, among other traditional Korean dishes. A round green sticker on the window tells visitors the restaurant is officially certified as halal.

The Halal stickers are part of an initiative by the government to attract more Muslim tourists to South Korea. A Halal Food Festival, which recently ended; added more than 100 Muslim-friendly restaurants; and spent 200 million won — the equivalent of more than $175,000 — to provide prayer rooms at popular tourist destinations. The initiative by the government to facilitate Muslims visiting South Korea has resulted into an increase the number of Muslim tourists manifold. In 2018, 971,649 Muslim tourists visited the country, an 11 percent increase from 865,910 in 2017, according to the Korea Tourism Organization.

The younger generation of the Korean Muslims is trying to spread awareness on Islam in South Korea through social media. Umar (Daesik) Choi, a young enthusiast Muslim promotes Muslim-friendly restaurants in Seoul in collaboration with the Seoul Tourism Organization as part of a video series called "From Kebab to Kebab" on YouTube. He studies Arabic and Islamic studies in Saudi Arabia.

Umar (Daesik) Choi (left) - Ola Bora Song (right)

Ola Bora Song, is a Korean Muslim who converted in 2007, works at the Seoul mosque and gives lectures to South Korean Christians and others who want to know more about Islam. She tries to answer all their questions to avoid any misunderstandings. "I was once a non-Muslim and I understand their misconceptions, which is why I want to give them all the information they need to understand what Islam really is, that [it] is, a religion of peace and respect." Her lectures have proven quite successful. "Some people who had preconceived ideas about the religion would come to me after my lectures and tell me how sorry they were for not knowing," she says. With more than 140,000 followers on Instagram, Bora has become a bit of an online sensation and inspirational figure for many Muslims across Asia. In South Korea, where beauty plays an integral part of society, she likes to make a fashion statement with her headscarf, a colourful symbol of her double Korean and Muslim identity. [Source / Photo: RADU DIACONU/AL JAZEERA]

the Seoul Central Mosque in the district of Itaewon is the central point where large congregations of Friday and Eid prayers are held. Sometimes, usually in the Ramadan,  prayer mats are laid outside the main prayer hall to make room for large number of Muslims, mostly immigrants from Southeast and Central Asia. “I was travelling an hour from Ansan (southwest of Seoul) by train and bus to perform a prayer along with my two children,” Ahn, a Korean Muslim who converted to Islam a decade ago after marrying a Pakistani Muslim, told Arab News. However he confides that living as a Muslim in South Korea has been tough, and is getting tougher due to Islamophobia. 

Park Dong-shin, a native Korean who reverted to Islam in 2009, runs two YouTube channels for Islam. “I started running YouTube channels in 2011 with the goal of providing accurate information on Islam, and they’ve gained popularity fast in recent years thanks to the YouTube boom,” Park, , told Arab News. “Many of the viewers post malicious comments insulting Islam and Muslims, but I feel that’s a very normal process of a new culture being mixed in a society. It’s a process of people learning a new culture and religion,” he said.

Practicing Islam is difficult in South Korea where Islam is marginalized in many cases, yet the South Korean Muslims pride themselves on keeping their faith in the face of numerous challenges. Those living in Muslims majority countries just cannot fathom the difficulties of the Muslims who form a very small percentage of population in non Muslim countries. But reading their accounts is very heart warming for despite all odds, they take pride in being Muslims and following Islamic way of life despite the prejudices around.

You may like to view an informative video about Islam, Halal Food and life of Muslims in South Korea, which will give you an insight into life of Muslims in South Korea:

Author's Note: The data for this post has been collected from the references as given below. If any one differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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