Our Pastor

Pastor-Carl
Rev. Carl Hanson

For over 25 years, Rev. Carl Hanson has served as a missionary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) in the Asia Pacific region. Currently based in South Korea, Pastor Carl serves as the pastor of International Lutheran Church, a vibrant ministry to both local and expatriate families living in the greater Seoul and surrounding areas.

Pastor Carl first began his ministry in Asia working with the LCMS Overseas Youth Ministry program in Taiwan in the late 1980's. After his seminary education in St. Louis, Missouri, he was first called to serve as an Evangelistic Missionary to Taiwan and served as a church planter in Taichung, Taiwan, and later as a chaplain with Concordia Middle School in Chia Yi, Taiwan. In 2004, Pastor Carl began visiting churches, schools, and mission partners as well as LCMS mission families in East Asia. Together with his family he moved to Hong Kong in 2005 to help coordinate the mission work of the LCMS in East Asia. Connecting local churches, schools, and mission partners together with LCMS missionaries and mission projects was the main focus of his work for over 15 years. In May of 2019, Pastor Carl accepted the call to serve International Lutheran Church here in Seoul. "After many years of working with local Christians throughout Asia, it is a joy to work alongside this dynamic ministry of expats that includes people from across Korea, Asia, and the world."

Hanson Family 2023

Pastor Carl, wife Chenhsi, and their three daughters (l to r) Emma, Lydia, and Andrea