South Korea's Yoido Full Gospel Church, which claims to have the world's largest congregation at 800,000, elected a U.S.-based clergyman as its next leader.
Lee Young-hoon, 52, senior pastor of Los Angeles Full Gospel Church, will succeed Cho Yong-gi, 70, who plans to retire in 2009.
Cho founded the church in 1958 and has since been leading it.
Lee beat two competitors, both from the church denomination, by winning a majority of votes from about 1,200 church leaders.
Church officials said Lee will take up the new post after two years of preparations.
A Ph.D. in religion and philosophy at Temple University, Lee developed his career mostly in the United States ministering Korean churches there.
Seoul, Nov. 12 (Yonhap News)
S. Korea's Yoido Full Gospel Church names new leader |
