Bishop Hee-Soo Jung
The Ohio Episcopal Area The United Methodist Church
Bishop Hee-Soo Jung currently serves as the resident bishop of The Ohio Episcopal Area, encompassing both the East and West Ohio Conferences. He began his assignment in September 2024.
Before his appointment to Ohio, Bishop Jung led the Wisconsin Annual Conference from 2012 until 2024. During his tenure, he was a key leader in the Imagine No Malaria Campaign, which raised over $1 million. Bishop Jung personally visited every congregation in the conference and provided leadership in planting over 30 new congregations. Under his guidance, the conference achieved 49% cross-racial leadership appointments, reflecting his deep commitment to racial justice and radical inclusion.
Prior to Wisconsin, Bishop Jung served as bishop of the Northern Illinois Conference (Chicago area) for eight years. He played a central role in launching the Harvest 2020 movement, resulting in numerous new faith communities. Bishop Jung’s dedication to immigration justice and the sanctuary movement inspired the creation of Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON), providing critical legal services to immigrants.
Earlier in his ministry, Bishop Jung served as an elder in the Wisconsin Conference, pastoring churches and serving as a district superintendent. He also taught and chaired the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Kangnam University in South Korea, and held pastoral appointments in California, Texas, and South Korea.
Bishop Jung has held several prominent roles within the denomination, including president of the General Board of Global Ministries and chair of the UM Korean National Plan. He has also served on the Board of Directors for Bread for the World and is a member of the Ecumenical Forum for Korea in Geneva, Switzerland, where he advocates for peace and reconciliation efforts on the Korean Peninsula. Additionally, he has been a faculty member for the Two-Year Academy for Spiritual Formation since 2005, and has taught in various Five-Day Academy sessions both in the U.S. and internationally.
His previous service includes presidencies of the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and board membership on the General Board of Discipleship, the UM National Hispanic Plan, the General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns, the General Commission on United Methodist Men, and JustPeace.
In addition to his episcopal duties, Bishop Jung is an Adjunct Professor at Yonsei University in South Korea and at Claremont School of Theology.
Bishop Jung holds a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.A. from the Institute of Buddhist Studies (affiliated with the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA), an M.A. from Dongguk University Graduate School in Seoul, South Korea, and a B.Th. from Methodist Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea.
Bishop Jung's spouse, Im-Hyon, is an elder in the Wisconsin Conference and currently serves as Director of International Relations, Asia & Global Programs, for the Upper Room/Discipleship Ministries. Together, they are the parents of two adult sons, Jae-Hugh and Jae-Joon (married to Brittney), and proud grandparents of Sydney Grace.