KWANG-GHOU, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — It is situated at the southwestern extremity of Korea and comprises the entire civil province of Zenza Nando, with an area of 13,887 sq. km. and a population of 3,500,000 inhabitants. It was erected on 13 April 1937, by the division of the indigenous vicariate of Taiku, and assumed the name of Kwoszu or K.-J. Since 12 July 1950, the official name has been the latter. It is entrusted to the Fathers of the Society of St. Columban for the Chinese Missions, who came to Korea from Ireland in 1933.
The mission of K. has 6,978 Catholics; 1,186 catechumens; 5 native priests and 14 foreign priests; 74 catechists; 52 teachers; 5 elementary schools with 566 pupils; 2 middle schools with 92 students; 13 primary stations and 29 secondary ones; 9 churches and 23 chapels. The city of Mokpo, which is also an important port at the extreme tip of the peninsula, is the residence of the Ordinary.