John and Jina Linton
Shinchon-Dong 57
Sudaemoon-Ku
Seoul, Korea 120-140
Email: John and Jina Linton

John and Jina Linton are long-term volunteers in South Korea, appointed in January 2004 to work as liaison with Yonsei University, which was founded by Presbyterian mission personnel 100 years ago. John is the medical director of the International Health Care Center of the Yonsei University Medical Center. As such, he provides health care to foreigners living in South Korea and is continuing an outreach program to Yonsei Friendship Hospital in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. In addition, John is involved in a ministry to North Korea, especially in the medical field.

John’s great-grandfather, Eugene Bell, was a Presbyterian missionary who went to Korea in 1895. His grandfather, William Linton, also served in Korea, beginning his service in the year 1912. His father, Hugh Linton, served in Korea from 1954 until his untimely death in 1984. John’s mother has served in Korea for 40 years as the director of Soonchun Christian Tuberculosis Rehabilitation Center.

Letters from
John and Jina Linton

• February 2005

Thus far, John’s work in North Korea has been through the Eugene Bell Foundation, an institution founded by John’s brother and named after their great-grandfather. The Eugene Bell Foundation provides medical aid to North Koreans, mostly in the area of tuberculosis care, treatment, and prevention. Among the projects John works on is the design of a multi-purpose vehicle for the special needs of North Korea. It is able to transport people, goods, and patients on stretchers. He also has developed a mobile X-ray unit appropriate to the road conditions of North Korea.

John holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree from Korea University and an M.D. from Yonsei University’s College of Medicine. Jina holds a D.D.S. in dentistry from two different universities: Yonsei University in Seoul and Columbia University in New York, New York. She also holds a master’s degree in orthodontics from Columbia and a Ph.D. in dentistry from Yonsei University.

They are members of Dae Bong Church, a Presbyterian church in Seoul.

They are the parents of three children, Hannah, Ester, and Eugene.

Birthdays:
John – December 8
Jina – June 3
Hannah – June 19, 1888
Ester – April 21, 1990
Eugene – May 6, 2000