Pyung Duk “P. D.” Chun, the first president of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, passed away on October 3 at the age of 90.
Chun was born on October 10, 1936, in Hongseong, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea. His more than 40 years of service to the church began in 1960 as a teacher at Gwangsi Sahmyook Middle School. He was later ordained as a pastor on January 1, 1966, and took on various roles, including departmental director.
After earning a master’s degree in religion from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary in the Philippines, he returned to Korea to serve as the Education and Health director of the Korean Union Conference. Chun also worked at the Korean Publishing House, known as Sijosa, and became president of the West Central Korean Conference in 1982. He was appointed president of the Korean Union Conference in December 1983.
Chun’s leadership extended throughout Asia. He was appointed secretary of the Far Eastern Division in 1988 and later elected its president in November 1992. He guided the Adventist Church through significant organizational changes, including the transformation of the Far Eastern Division into the Asia-Pacific Division, which was eventually split into the Northern and Southern Asia-Pacific divisions.
Chun was the final president of the Far Eastern Division, the first and only president of the Asia-Pacific Division, and the inaugural president of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division. His tenure coincided with the growth of the 1000 Missionary Movement, which engaged young Adventists in cross-cultural missions. He also played a key role in the establishment of the Pioneer Mission Movement (PMM) and chaired its management committee, significantly impacting missionary efforts, including sending the first five Korean pastoral families to Japan in 2003.
Although Chun retired from full-time ministry on July 1, 2003, he continued to contribute to the Adventist community as the international publishing manager for Adventist World magazine.
He is survived by his wife, Yoon Hee Kim; son, Kyung Bae Chun; daughters, Eun Sil Chun and Eun Kyung Chun, along with their extended families. The Northern Asia-Pacific Division, the church in Korea, and the global Seventh-day Adventist community remember Chun for his dedicated service in advancing their mission.
The funeral service included viewing times on October 4 and a special service on October 5. Chun is interred at the Adventist cemetery in Pocheon, South Korea.
