I think my readers might enjoy this history of Textus Receptus Bible translation in South Korea. It was written by 방성진 (Daniel Bang) and posted on the Textus Receptus Academy Facebook group on July 27, 2022. Used by permission.
The Brief History of Korean TR/KJV Translation
(Updated in 7.28)
When the missionary John Ross translated the Bible into the Korean language in 1884, he used WH Critical Text for translating the NT. Thus, Korean Churches started with CT-based Bible. Through several revisions, most Korean Churches have been using the Korean Revised Version and New Korean Revised Version, and a few Korean Bible believers are using KJV-based translation.
The Word of God Preservation Society
Dr. Song Lee (1939-2022) was a leader of The Word of God Preservation Society and a pastor of Bible Baptist Church (Gimpo, Korea). After he was saved (1978.7.23) and studied Theology, he realized that TR-based Korean translation is necessary. He individually translated TR ‘Interlinear English translation (English literal translation under Greek TR of Interlinear Greek NT)’ into Korean, and called it ‘새성경 (New Bible-NT)’ in the early 1990s.
In 1991, Dr. Song Lee met Peter Ruckman and had a deep fellowship with him. He followed Ruckmanism (including Double-Inspiration) and his ‘attitude,’ so this attitude became a negative trigger in Korean Presbyterian churches. After meeting Ruckman, he firstly published Korean KJV in 1994 with his fellow translators. Though he included KJV OT and NT (based on TR-interlinear English translation) and titled it Korean KJV, this was the start point to spread TR-based Korean translation in South Korea. Until his death, his Korean KJV was revised and corrected many times.
Though Korean Baptist believers disagree with Calvinism, insulting Calvinism with rudeness is not proper. However, Dr. Song Lee strongly criticized Calvinism, and he regarded the Korean Revised Version as a Satanic Bible. Because of his rude attitude which comes from Dr. Ruckman, ‘The General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in Korea’ and ‘The Presbyterian Church of Korea’ hereticated Dr. Song Lee and Word of God Preservation Society in the late 1990s (the former Assembly hereticated him in 1998.).
Dr. Song Lee certainly played his role as a pioneer, but due to his self-righteous nature, the translators who were with him left him, and a few years later, they joined Pastor Jung and translated another Korean King James Bible.
In Christ Jesus Publications / KeepBible
Dr. Jung Dongsoo is a pastor of Charity Baptist Church (Incheon, Korea), and an administrator of KeepBible website. He is the main translator of the Korean KJV. He learned the fundamental doctrine of Christianity in the U.S. and had an interest in KJV. Later, Dr. Jung had a close relationship with Dr. Waite, and Dr. Waite sent him to Korea. [http://www.biblefortoday.org/idx_Pages/idx_missionaries.htm]
Dr. Jung started translating KJV into Korean in 1992. When he was in the process of translation, Pastor Jack Kim (One of the Korean KJV translators) contacted him for the accurate translation of the Korean KJV, so some pastors (who set themselves apart from the Word of God Preservation Society) and other IFB pastors helped Dr. Jung to translate it accurately. The first edition was printed in 2000. 11 years later, The 400th Anniversary edition of the Korean KJV (5th edition) was sold by many Korean Christians. The logo ‘Spiritus Gladius’ was used for this edition. However, Dr. Jung’s translation was corrected again for improving grammar and readability, so the recent edition was printed in 2021 which title is called ‘Majesty Edition (6th edition).’
Sadly in 2016, Dongwoo Kwon (a Korean Bob Jones student in the past) criticize Dr. Jung that he is KJVO. Dr. Jung states that he is KJVO but he does not follow Ruckmanism. Kwon’s work was like the low rank of Mark Ward. He has criticized Dr. Jung for about 4-5 years. To this effect, The General Assembly of Presbyterian Church in Korea stated that “Dr. Jung’s bibliological aspect is dangerous, and he does not follow Korean Presbyterian church tradition.” Because most Korean churches are Presbyterian, this could happen.
Though many trials passed him, Korean IFB churches are still using Dr. Jung’s Korean KJV. I also have used and read his translation.
Difference Between Each Translator
The main problem of Dr. Song Lee was his contradictory attitude. He had kept in contact with Dr. Ruckman, but he did not follow that KJV is the final authority. The Word of God Preservation Society has translated many books written by Ruckman. In fact, he defended Ruckman for getting commercial gains by translating Ruckman's books.
Because Dr. Song Lee studied NT Greek at first, he could not give up his NT translation from TR-English Interlinear Bible. Therefore, he could not state that English KJV is his final authority, and he emphasized that his translation (Dr. Song Lee’s Korean KJV) is the final authority (more than English KJV). His society still teaches this wrong confession. Finally, his wrong perspective brought division.
However, Dr. Jung and proven translators commonly agree that KJV is the final authority for Bible believers. They directly translated KJV into Korean without any impurities. Moreover, various experts helped for improving translation and readability. In many ways, their coherent path gives credibility to Dr. Jung’s translation.
I recommend Dr. Jung’s translation because it was not biased by Ruckmanism, and reliable Bible Believers helped for accurate translation, and it has been widely spread.
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