History

1832 Rev. Gützlaff spreads the Gospel in Korea with Chinese Scriptures

1865 Rev. Thomas gives away Chinese Scriptures with the help of the Scottish Bible Society

1877 Rev. Ross, Eung Chan Lee, Sang Ryun Soh, Hong Jun Baek, and others start translating the Bible into Korean

1882 The first Scriptures in Korean, Gospel of Luke and Gospel of John, are published in Manchuria, China by Rev. Ross and his Korean colleagues with the support from the National Bible Society of Scotland (currently Scottish Bible Society)
Sang Ryun Soh brought into Korea the Gospels in Korean for the first time in history

1883 Rev. Ross publishes the Gospel of John and the Gospel of Luke

1885 Gospel of Mark (신약마가젼복음셔언해) by Soo Jeong Lee is published in Japan with the support of the American Bible Society

1887 The first New Testament, Corean New Testament is published
The Permanent Executive Bible Committee in Korea is organized, and Rev. Underwood and Rev. Appenzeller become members of this committee

1895 The Bible Society is founded in Korea under the name of the Korean Agency of the British and Foreign Bible Society
Kenmure becomes the first General Secretary of the BFBS Korean agency.

1899 Churches nationwide conduct ‘Bible Society Sunday’ service and send their contributions to the Bible Society

1900 The second New Testament, the Korean New Testament, is published

1902 The Bible Society representatives hold worship at the Hansung Prison, and start its first free Bible distribution

1905 Miller becomes the second General Secretary of the BFBS Korean agency.

1911 The first Old Testament and the first full Bible in Korean are published
The Bible House (two story building) is built in Chongo 2 ga of Seoul city.

1913 The first Scripture in Braille (Gospel of John) is published

1915 The assembly of colporteurs held in Seoul is attended by 172 persons.

1937 Hobbes becomes the third General Secretary of the BFBS Korean agency

1938 The Revised Version (성경개역), revision of the Korean Bible (성경젼셔) is published

1939 The Bible Society starts recruiting people to support Bible Work

1940 Robertson becomes the fourth General Secretary of the BFBS Korean agency1

1941 The Japanese colonial government forced the establishment of the Chosun Bible Society

Tae Eung Chung becomes the first General Secretary of the Chosun Bible Society in January
The BFBS Korean agency closes down and hands over all operations to the Korean Bible Society, and formally ends the Bible Work in Korea
In Gwa Chung becomes the second General Secretary of the Chosun Bible Society in April

1942 Bible Work in Korea is put to a stop upon the order from the Japanese Governor-General of Korea.

1945 Bible Work is resumed with liberation.

Tae Eung Chung becomes the first General Secretary of the Korean Bible Society

1947 The Ministry of Culture and Education endorses the Korean Bible Society Foundation

1949 Young Bin Im becomes the second General Secretary of the Korean Bible Society
The Korean Bible Society becomes a member of the United Bible Societies

1961 The Korean Revised Version, revision of the Revised Version (성경개역) is published

1964 The Korean Bible Society’s Independence Countermeasures Committee is organized

1966 Joo Byung (Andrew) Kim becomes the third General Secretary of the Korean Bible Society

1967 The New Testament in New Translation (신약전서 새번역) is published

1971 The New Testament in the Common Translation is published

1972 The Bible Society ceases to use colporteurs for Bible distribution

1973 Four hundred thousand copies of Scriptures are exported for the first time

1977 The Common Translation is published

1979 The Korean Bible Society becomes financially independent

1981 Ho Yong Kim becomes the fourth General Secretary of the Korean Bible Society

1985 KBS dedicates the Seocho Bible House

1986 Annual Bible distribution exceeds one million copies

1991 Annual Bible distribution reaches two million copies

1993 The New Korean Standard Version is published

1995 KBS celebrates its centennial year

KBS opens the Information Resource Center for Biblical Studies (currently the Library for Biblical Studies), Bible Exhibition Hall, and the Ross Memorial Hall

1998 The New Korean Revised Version is published

1999 KBS releases the Revised Common Translation Bibles and the CD-ROM Bible ver. 1.0

2000 KBS opens the Center for Bible Education and Culture

2001 KBS establishes its bindery, Bible Korea Co., and Mal Yong Chung becomes the President

The Revised New Korean Standard Version is published

2002 Young-Jin Min becomes the fifth General Secretary of the Korean Bible Society

2005 KBS releases the CD-ROM Bible ver. 2.0.

2006 KBS releases Korean-Chinese mixed script Bible with cross references
KBS starts the Bible A Month Club.

2007 Chang Eung Ahn and Eui Hyun Kwon become the sixth General Secretaries of the Korean Bible Society
KBS dedicates the Yeoksam Bible House.

2009 The Bible Korea Co. is relocated to Paju, Kyunggi-do

2010 KBS hosts the 8th World Assembly of the United Bible Societies in Seoul, Korea

2011 KBS celebrates the 100th anniversary of the translation and publication of the first Korean Bible

2015 KBS hosts the 5th Publishers Convention of the United Bible Societies in Seoul, Korea
KBS celebrates the 120th anniversary of Bible Work in Korea