Biography
Barbara Choe Yong-i
About Barbara Choe Yong-i
Barbara Choe Yong-i grew up in a Catholic family in Seoul. Her parents were Peter Choe Chang-hub and Magdalena Son So-byog. She married Charles Cho Shin-chol, who helped maintain contact between Korean Catholics and the church in Beijing.
During the persecution of 1839, she was arrested with family members after religious objects brought from China were discovered at their home.
Her young child accompanied her to prison, but Barbara later placed the child with relatives. She refused to deny her faith or disclose other Catholics’ identities despite severe punishment.
Her husband and father were executed in 1839. After her mother’s execution on January 31, 1840, Barbara was executed at Tang-kogae the following day.
Wondering how to weigh the stories and sources? Learn how to read a saint biography.