The number of Catholics in South Korea has grown exponentially in the last 50 years. In 1949, Catholics represented roughly 1% of the population, compared to now where they represent 10%. Also, the number of priests, which was at only 81, is now over 4,000.
An estimated 100,000 adults are baptized yearly in South Korea. In 2011, the number of baptisms reached 109,000. In comparison, adult baptisms in France reached 3,000 and in the United States it reached 43,000.
With these numbers, it's no surprise that the Church has launched a '20-20' plan, with the goal of increasing the number of Catholics to 20% by the year 2020.
Catholics in South Korea are also present in the fields of education and health. They run over 500 homes for the elderly and disabled, and roughly 300 schools.
