territory=North and South Korea|

In July 1897 the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] resolved to send missionaries to Korea by decision of the [[Holy Synod]] in July 1897. [[Archimandrite ]] Ambrose Gountko led the three person team, but was refused permission to enter the country.

In 1900 , a more hospitable atmosphere between Russia and Korea allowed for a second [[missionary ]] team led by Archimandrite Chrysanthos Shehtkofsky to begin an outreach in Seoul. He was joined in Korea by Hierodeacon Nicholas Alexeiev of the original team, and chanter Jonah Leftsenko. On [[February 17]], 1900 in a make-shift [[chapel ]] the first known Orthodox [[Divine Liturgy]] was celebrated in the Korean peninsula.

The first Orthodox church was constructed in Jung Dong, Jung-gu, the central area of Seoul in 1903 and is was named in honor of [[Nicholas of Myra|Saint Nicholas]]. However, with the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910-to 1945 came an intense period of persecution against Orthodox Christian believers. In spite of persecution , in 1912 , Fr. Ioannis Kang, the first native Korean Orthodox [[priest]], was [[ordination|ordained]].

In November 1921 The , the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow ended its support of the Church of Korea, and the Japanese Orthodox Church gave up its jurisdictional authority. Thus, in 1946, the Orthodox Church of Korea was put placed into the position of having to organize itself as a [[parish]].

The year 1947 saw the ordination of a third Korean priest, Fr. Alexei Kim, just as the last Russian priest departed the country. Father Alexei was the sole only priest of the Orthodox Church left to serve the people of Korea. Just three years later, on [[July 9]], 1950, he was captured and disappeared without record. As the Korean War descended upon the land the Orthodox Christian community in the region was dispersed and the formal practice of the faith disrupted.

However, in 1953, Army Chaplain Archimandrite Andrew Halkiopoulos of the Military Forces of [[Church of Greece|Greece]] was made became aware of the Korean Orthodox faithful and arranged for a the parish in Seoul to be reestablished.

The following year the Korean Orthodox Christian Boris Moon was ordained by [[Archbishop ]] [[Ireney (Bekish) of New York|Ireneus of Japan]] in Tokyo. Then, on Christmas Eve of 1955, by unanimous decision , the Korean Orthodox community chose formally to come under the jurisdictional authority of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople]].

In 1975, Archimandrite [[Sotirios (Trambas) of Pisidia|Sotirios Trambas]] volunteered to serve in the Korean mission of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. During the ensuing years, he founded a [[monastery]], several parishes both in Korea and in other places in Asia, and a [[seminary]].

In 1993, the Holy Synod of Constantinople elected Archimandrite Sotirios Trambas as [[Bishop ]] of Zelon and Auxiliary Bishop to the [[Metropolitan ]] of Australia and New Zealand. In this role, Bishop Bp. Sotirios served as Exarch of Korea. On [[April 20]], 2004, the Exarchate of Korea was raised to the rank of a Metropolis , and Bishop Sotirios became the first Metropolitan of Korea.

On [[May 28]], 2008, Metropolitan Sotirios of Korea, the first Metropolitan of the Orthodox Metropolis of Korea retired and was given the title of Metropolitan of Pisidia. On the same day, Bishop [[Ambrose (Zographos) of Korea|Ambrosios of Zelon]] and Auxiliary Bishop of the Metropolis was elected to succeed Metropolitan Sotirios as the Metropolitan of Korea.

Today the Orthodox Metropolis of Korea is treated as one single metropolis with 10 ten parishes and 8 eight priests and 2 two deacons in South Korea, which has healthy relations with [[Holy Trinity Church (Pyongyang)|the single North Korean parish ]] under the Moscow Patriarchate which was established in 2006. The Metropolis also has a female monastery dedicated to the [[Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration (Gapyeong, Korea)|Holy Transfiguration]]. The Metropolis also has a Theological Seminary dedicated to [[St. Nicholas Orthodox Theological Seminary|St. Nicholas]] which trains the [[clergy ]] of Korea and Southeast Asia.

*Metropolitan [[Sotirios (Trambas) of Pisidia|Sotirios (Trambas)]] of Pisidia, who was the first Metropolitan of Korea for from 2004-to 2008, is staying in the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration (Gapyeong, Korea) at present.

**Hieromonk Theophan (Kim), a Korean priestmonk, is priest for the St . Maxim the Greek chapel (which does services in foreign languages).