Seongnae-dong Church—formerly Samcheok Church—wasfounded in 1949 and built in 1957 on a hill overlooking the city of Samcheok.It began as a faith community of local Catholic villages, eventually becoming aparish through the dedication of clergy and laypeople. Damaged during theKorean War, the church was rebuilt in the 1950s and has since served as acenter of faith for the region as the local Catholic population grew.

A unique feature of Seongnae-dong Church is thatvisitors must approach from the rear and walk around to reach the main entrancebeneath the bell tower. The bell tower faces the city rather than the entrance,allowing the church to be seen easily from afar.