Father Thomas Choe Yang-eop and the 124 Martyrs

Bishop Michael Park Jeong-il has declared his investigations on their cause closed and sent his findings to the Vaticans — Tribunal investigations on martyrs' beatification cause concluded. More on the priest:

Father Choe, often referred as the "Martyr of Sweat," was the second Korean priest ordained in 1849 in Shanghai, China. The first was Saint Father Andrew Kim Tae-gon who was martyred in 1846.

Father Choe, after returning to Korea in 1849, started pastoral work by visiting mission stations in the country.

The priest walked an average of 2,800 kilometers a year to visit Catholics in remote villages and heard 4,000 confessions, according to the Korean Catholic Encyclopedia. He died of typhoid in 1861, at the age of 40.

Father Choe is being promoted as a confessor, the term used for a non-martyr saint. "Father Choe is not a martyr, but the brilliant pastor deserves to be recognized as a saint," said Father Yoo.

He added that because Father Choe is not a martyr, his beatification process would require a separate investigation for signs of a miracle. This is presently ongoing in the local Church.

"I hope the faithful will pray to him for his intercession, and report any miracles to our committee," he said.