Augustin Yu Chin-gil was a Korean Catholic saint who lived from 1791 to 1839. Born into a family of government officials, he initially explored Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism before converting to Christianity after meeting the catechist Paul Chon. He played a significant role in the history of the Korean Church by traveling to Beijing to request clergy for his homeland. This mission eventually led to the establishment of the Apostolic Vicariate of Korea by Pope Gregory XVI.
Life and mission
After his conversion, Yu traveled to Beijing in 1824 to petition a Catholic bishop for more priests in Korea. During this trip, he was baptized and took the name Augustin. He also composed a letter to the Pope regarding the shortage of clergy, which prompted the creation of a new vicariate in 1831. In July 1839, he was arrested for his faith and died in Seoul following intense torture.
Veneration
He is recognized as one of the Korean Martyrs. He was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and later canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1984 alongside 103 other martyrs. The Catholic Church commemorates his memory on September 20.