During his annual report Aug. 5, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson announced that the Order has expanded to South Korea, beginning with the chartering of St. Andrew Kim Taegon Council 16000.
“There are nearly 5.5 million Catholics in South Korea today,” said Anderson. “It is among the fastest-growing Catholic communities in the world. I am sure that South Korea, like the Philippines, will play a significant role in the future of the Knights of Columbus.”
The Order made its initial inroads into Korea in 2007 with the establishment of Bishop John J. Kaising Council 14223 at U.S. Army Base Camp Humphreys near Osan. Since then, military Knights in Korea have provided support to fellow service members in the Middle East and have demonstrated charity to Korean communities in need. Members of Council 14223 include Bishop F. Richard Spencer, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and Bishop Francis Xavier Yu Soo-il of the Military Ordinariate of Korea.