Saint Kim Taegon Andrea (1821-1846) was the first Korean-born Catholic priest in Korea and lived in a time when Christians were being persecuted in the region. Kim attended seminar in Macau and studied in the Philippines. He was ordained in Shanghai in 1844. He was beheaded in the Kingdom of Joseon (1392-1897) by the Han River in 1846. Saint Kim Taegon Andrea was canonized in 1984 and is the patron saint of Korea. (wikipedia).