KIAMUSZE (CHIAMUSSU), APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE of. - The civil prefectures of Yenki and Ilan, which until 19 March 1922 formed part of the apostolic vicariate of northern Manchuria (v. CIRINO), were on that date detached from the said mission and annexed to the apostolic vicariate of Wonsan in Korea; on 9 July 1928, the civil prefecture of Ilan was also separated from Wonsan and, erected as a sui juris mission, on 13 Apr. 1937 took the name of K. and on 9 Apr. 1940 was raised to an apostolic prefecture.
Like the mother mission of Wonsan, it was entrusted to the Benedictine Congregation of S. Ottilia for foreign missions; however, having been administered by the apostolic vicariate of Wonsan from its foundation until 15 Feb. 1934, on that date it was transferred to the Capuchins, who send there for missionary work religious from the province of Tyrol. As an apostolic prefecture it depends directly on the Holy See.
It has an area of 93,000 sq. km. As of 30 June 1947, out of a population of approximately 1,300,000 inhabitants, there were 3,200 Catholics; there were 10 Capuchins and 1 lay brother.
The population of K., which in 1928 was only 500,000 inhabitants and included approximately 1,500 Catholics, increased rapidly through immigration, especially from Hopeh and Shantung. Hopes for a consoling spread of Christianity have been crushed in recent years by the Communist occupation; there have been casualties among the missionaries, some of whom have had to leave the mission, while the others have been prevented from working.