Early Introduction Stage

Korea was full of poverty, sorrow and pain resulted from Korean War which broke
out on June 25, 1950. In such ruins of war, Islam began planting its seeds by
brother Zubercoch and Abdul Rahman who participated in the Korean War as military
service members of the Turkish Army of the United Nations stationed in Korea.
During his service he built a Quonset hut used as Masjid, where he preached
Islamic doctrine to the Korean People.

The Turkish Army taught the Korean people at the Masjid Tent built at the
refugees' villages the teaching of Islamic monotheism during the Korean War, while
the Korean people devoted themselves to religious lives in the dark and ruined
surroundings wishing for bright future trusting Allah.

Preparatory State

As a first step towards an effective Islamic work in Korea, the early Muslim
brothers organised a Korea Muslim society. This Islamic society elected Almarhum
Muhammad Umar Kim Jin Kyu as president. Later, the leaders of the Korean Muslim
were invited to visit Islamic Countries and some of the Korean Muslims were sent
to Muslim College in Malaysia to be trained as future Islamic workers and leaders.

Malaysian Delegations led by Vice Minister Tunku Abdul Razak and his wife, visited
the site of the proposed masjid. Later on Haji Mohammad Nuh, a Malaysian
government officer, saw that a permanent base should be erected to carry out dawah
activities.

So, with the Malaysian government's donation of $33,000, he handed over the money
to the Korean Muslim Community to build a masjid in 1963. Unfortunately, the
construction of the masjid could not be completed due to various reasons among
them were the inflation.

Settled Stage

It was not an easy task to make a base for dawah activities. Many difficulties had
to be endured and solved. But despite all these, the dedicated early Muslims tried
very hard to promote Islam, with full faith in the One and Only God. They were
successful in converting the Korean Islam into Korean Islamic Foundation which was
approved by the Korean Government and was officially registered at the Ministry of
Culture and Information. (Registration no. 114, March 13, 1967)

Thus, Korean Muslim began to make ways for active dawah work and managed to open a
new era for Muslims in Korea with the will of Allah.

Rise up in korea

The Korean Muslims' long dream, the construction of Central Masjid was
materialized in 1976. The opening of Central Masjid and Islam Center were the most
important turning points for the history of Korean Muslims. At the opening
ceremony, 55 representatives of around 20 countries glorified the dream of Korean
Muslims, and the magnificent opening ceremony served as an outburst of sudden
increase in the number of Korean Muslims.

The opening of the first Masjid of Korea contributed to rapid development of Islam
in Korea. Foreign Dignitaries (V.I.P) who participated in the ceremony visited the
then Prime Minister Choi Gyu Hwa to perform a role of raising the interest in
Islam.

In the mean time , the Korean Muslim's mission had made pilgrimage to Mecca to
inspire the people with the Islamic belief and to perform faithful duties in 1979,
and the Korean Muslims spurred the propagation activities in Korea taking the
opportunity of so called "Boom of Middle East"(1974-1980) by raising the interest
in the Middle East and Islam.

Chronology

* 1955 (September): Imam Zubercoch and Abdul Rahman, Participated in the

Korean War as military service members, reached Quran for the first time in Korea.
* 1955 (October): Korean Muslim Committee started (Umar Kim Jin Kyu as
Chairman: Imam and Secretary General uhammad Yoon Doo Young)
* 1961 (September): 14 men mission headed by Senator Ubaidulla of Malaysia
stayed in Korea for 13 days.
* 1962 (August): The Malaysian Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman donated
$33,000 for the construction fund of Central Masjid of the Korean Muslim
* 1963 (October): The Malaysian Speaker brother Haji Muhammad Noh visited
Korea in (promised to propose to the Malasian government for the development of
Korean Muslim)
* 1967 (March): Korea Islam Foundation approved by Ministry of Culture and
Information of Korea (Approval No. 114, March 3, 1967)(Chairman Suleiman Lee Hwa
Shik), Secretary General Adul Aziz Kim Il Cho)
* 1974 (December): Through the good offices of late President Park Jung Hee,
1,500 m2 of land was donated as building site for Central Masjid.
* 1974 (May): Construction of Seoul Central Masjid and Islamic Center were
completed and opened.
* 1976 (December): Busan Temporary Masjid opened, Br. Kim Myung Hwan began to
perform dawah work.
* 1976 (March): Korea Islamic Cultural Centre Installed and being operated in
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
* 1978 (April): Temporary Masjid opened at Yok-ri Gwangjoo-eup, Gyunggi-do,
Korea: brother Abdullah Jun Deuk Lin began to preach Islam to the people.
* 1978 (October): The largest pilgrimage group of 132 persons went to perform
the holy pilgrimage for the first time in Korean History; Kuwait Temporary Masjid
opened.
* 1980 (May): The then prime Minister Choi Gyu Hwa promised to King Khalid of
Saudia Arabia to donate the land for the construction of Korea Islamic College
during the joint comminique.
* 1980 (July): 130 thousand Pyongs of land was donated for the construction of
Islamic College in Yongin, Gyunggi-do, Korea.
* 1980 (September): Opening ceremony of Pusan Al-Fatah Masjid was held
* 1981 (June): Opening ceremony of Kwang-Ju Masjid was held
* 1982.(August): Indonesia Branch was established
* 1983 (August): W.A.M.Y. Seoul Regional Camp was held under the auspices of
O.I.C. & W.A.M.Y.
* 1984 (August): W.A.M.Y. Local Muslim Camp was held.
* 1985.(July): The 1st Leadership Training Camp was held
* 1985 (August): The 2nd W.A.M.Y. Local Muslim Camp was held
* 1986.(April): Opening ceremony of Anyang Rabita Al-Alam Al-Islamic Masjid
was held
* 1986 (September): Opening ceremony of Jeon Joo Abu Bakr sidiq masjid was
held
* 1987 (August): 87 W.A.M.Y. Local Muslim Camp was held
* 1988 (August): 88 W.A.M.Y. Local Muslim Camp was held