The leaders of the Catholic Church in Korea were two laypeople named Saints Andrew Kim Taegon and Paul Chong Hasañg.
Andrew Kim Taegon was born to Korean nobility, and his parents converted when he was 15 years old. He was the first native Korean priest who traveled over 1000 miles to study in a seminary. He was tortured and beheaded in 1846.
Paul Choñg Hasang was a Korean Catholic lay leader who defended the faith before the government of Korea, and reunited the Christians in the midst of the persecutions, encouraging them to stay strong in the faith. In response to his direct appeals, the Pope, Gregory X, confirmed the validity of the Korean Church and sent more priests to Korea. He was martyred in 1839.