Rev. YongSeok Baek was born and raised in South Korea. He pursued a theological education at Hanshin University and several years later, earned Bachler of Theology and Master of Divinity. In 2011, he was ordained in the Presbyterian Church of Republic of Korea (PROK) while he had worked for the General Council office of PROK. That’s where he met Rev. Dr. HyeRan Kim-Cragg who serves as Graduate Studies Director at Emmanuel College in Toronto and she encouraged him to study abroad. YongSeok arrived Canada in 2014 to begin his Master of Theological Studies at St. Andrew’s College in Saskatoon. It was through this encounter and under the faculty members’ tutelage he received his academic and pastoral training and call to the ministry in United Church. He was then called upon to minister of Wilkie and Cut Knife United Church in Saskatchewan where he served for four years before moving over 3,500km to St. Davids-Queenston United Church.   

 He believes that church as an example of Kin-dom of God has to welcome and include all the people regardless age, gender, race, and sexual orientation. With such a great calling to fulfill, he invites all generations into worship, finds time to visit people, makes church safe and positive place for youth and Sunday school folks, and encourage people to take a walk with Jesus.   

 YongSeok loves singing with guitar, backpacking travel, and sports. He is a loving helpmate to his spouse (Yujene Oh) and is the proud daddy of two daughters (Soul and Dana).