Diocese of

Cheongju 청주

South Korea

Continent: South and East Asia

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Cheongju 청주 / Ch’ŏngju / 清州 (正體中文) / Cheongiuen(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Daegu 대구

Neighbouring Dioceses: Jeonju 전주 (↙), Daejeon 대전 (↙), Suwon 수원 (↖), Wonju 원주 (↗), Andong 안동 (→), Daegu 대구 (↘)

Depends on: Dicastery for Evangelisation

Website:

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (National) 📅

History

1958.06.23: Established as Apostolic Vicariate of Cheongju 청주 / Ch’ŏngju / 清州 (正體中文) / Cheongiuen(sis) (Latin) (from Apostolic Vicariate of Seul 서울)
1962.03.10: Promoted as Diocese of Cheongju 청주 / Ch’ŏngju / 清州 (正體中文) / Cheongiuen(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Daegu 대구)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2022.03.19 – ...):

Bishop Simon Kim Jong-Gang (김종강 시몬 / 金鍾岡) (61)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Cheongju 청주 (Roman Rite)

Bishop Simon Kim Jong-Gang (김종강 시몬 / 金鍾岡) (61)
(2022.03.19 – ...)

Bishop of Cheongju 청주 (South Korea)

Ego rogavi pro te, ut non deficiat fides tua

Born:	1965.01.02 (Cheongju, South Korea)
Ordained Priest:	1996.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	2022.05.02

Priest of Cheongju 청주 (South Korea) (1996.06.28 – 2022.03.19)

Bishop of Cheongju 청주 (South Korea) (2022.03.19 – ...)

Bishop Gabriel Chang Bong-hun (장봉훈 가브리엘 / 張峰軒) (79)
(1999.06.03 – 2022.03.19)

Bishop emeritus of Cheongju 청주 (South Korea)

Non mea sed tua / 주님의 뜻대로

Born:	1947.01.04 (Umsong-gun, South Korea)
Ordained Priest:	1976.05.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1999.08.24

Priest of Cheongju 청주 (South Korea) (1976.05.03 – 1999.06.03)

Bishop of Cheongju 청주 (South Korea) (1999.06.03 – 2022.03.19)

Vice-President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (2014.10.30 – 2020.10.15)

Bishop Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk (정진석 니콜라오 / 鄭鎮奭) (later Cardinal)
(1970.06.25 – 1998.04.03)

Omnibus omnia / 모든 이에게 모든 것

Born:	1931.12.07 (Seoul, South Korea)
Ordained Priest:	1961.03.18
Consecrated Bishop:	1970.10.03
Created Cardinal:	2006.03.24
Died:	2021.04.27 (Seoul, South Korea † 89)

Priest of Seoul 서울 (South Korea) (1961.03.18 – 1970.06.25)

Bishop of Cheongju 청주 (South Korea) (1970.06.25 – 1998.04.03)

President of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea (1996 – 1999)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Seoul 서울 (South Korea) (1998.04.03 – 2012.05.10)

Apostolic Administrator sede plena of Pyong-yang 평양 (North Korea) (1998.06.06 – 2012.05.10)

Cardinal-Priest of S. Maria Immacolata di Lourdes a Boccea (2006.03.24 [2006.11.19] – 2021.04.27)

Member of Council of Cardinals for the Study of Organisational and Economic Problems of the Apostolic See (2007.02.03 – 2012.05.10)

Bishop James Vincent Pardy (파 야고보), M.M.
(1962.03.10 – 1969.06.17)

Born:	1898.03.09 (Brooklyn, NY, USA)
Ordained Priest:	1930.01.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1958.09.16
Died:	1983.02.15 (Mountain View, CA, USA † 84)

Titular Bishop of Irenopolis in Isauria (1958.07.04 – 1962.03.10)

Vicar Apostolic of Cheongju 청주 (South Korea) (1958.07.04 – 1962.03.10)

Bishop of Cheongju 청주 (South Korea) (1962.03.10 – 1969.06.17)

Titular Bishop of Umbriatico (1969.06.17 – 1972.04.18)

Vicars Apostolic of Cheongju 청주 (Roman Rite)

Bishop James Vincent Pardy (파 야고보), M.M.
(1958.07.04 – 1962.03.10)

(see above)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Naedeok-dong Cathedral of the Holy Family, Cheongju 청주시, Chungcheongbuk-do 충청북도
Jubilee Churches in the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy (2016)
Jubilee Churches in the Holy Year 2025

Jeonju 전주 (↙), Daejeon 대전 (↙), Suwon 수원 (↖), Wonju 원주 (↗), Andong 안동 (→), Daegu 대구 (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 5,742 km²

Population: 171,733 Catholics (11.6% of 1,475,099 total)

Pastoral Centres: 82 parishes, 46 missions

Personnel: 192 priests (169 diocesan, 23 religious), 604 religious (117 brothers, 487 sisters), 27 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2026.03.30

© 2026 GCatholic.org