Barbara Cho Chŭng-i was a Korean Catholic martyr born in 1782. Coming from an aristocratic family in Incheon, she married Sebastian Nam and later moved to Seoul at the age of 30. During a period of intense religious persecution, she supported her cousin, Paul Chon, in his efforts to invite missionaries to Korea. Her home eventually served as a sanctuary for European priests and a location for Catholic worship before her eventual arrest.
Life and martyrdom
After her husband returned from exile in 1832, the couple provided shelter to missionaries such as Pierre Moban and Laurent Imbert. In July 1839, authorities arrested her, using torture to demand she renounce her faith. She was executed in Seoul on December 29, 1839, alongside several other martyrs, including Magdalena Han and Benedicta Hyeon.
Veneration
She was beatified by Pope Pius XI in 1925 and later canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1984 as part of a group of 103 Korean martyrs. The Catholic Church commemorates her on September 20, though her death is also noted on December 29.