Biography
Charles Cho Shin-chol
About Charles Cho Shin-chol
Charles Cho Shin-chol came from Hoeyang in Gangwon Province. After his mother’s death and loss of family property, he lived for a time at a Buddhist temple and worked in other households. He later became a groom with diplomatic parties traveling to Beijing.
Charles learned Catholicism from Augustine Yu Chin-gil and received baptism in Beijing. Repeated journeys enabled him to help maintain contact with the Catholic mission and receive priests for Korea.
After his first wife died, he married Barbara Choe Yong-i. He assisted Maubant during visits to Catholic communities.
When his household was arrested during the persecution of 1839, Charles went to the police and identified himself as its owner. Officials found religious books and objects he had brought from Beijing. He refused demands to reveal the missionaries’ whereabouts despite severe punishment.
A government deposition recorded in September 1839 attributes to Charles an account of repeated Beijing journeys with Augustine, Augustine’s purchases of religious books and efforts to receive Maubant. Its hostile religious labels and coerced testimony should not be treated as neutral descriptions or independent proof of criminal guilt.
He was executed outside Seoul’s Small West Gate on September 26, 1839.
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