Read in Korean

Born in Pyongyang in 1886, he received little education but was baptized by Dr. Noble in Pyongyang, which opened his eyes to Western culture. Driven by a passion for learning, he went to Hawaii in 1905 and later settled in San Francisco. In 1914, he enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, and got married that same year. Upon graduating in 1917, he began serving the church and engaged in missionary work in Northern California, specifically in Oakland, Sacramento, Stockton, and Manteca. His efforts led to the establishment of missions in Maxwell, Willows, and Tracy.

However, as the Korean farmers, who relied on agriculture, faced poor harvests, they had to leave Maxwell, Willows, and Manteca, prompting him to focus his missionary work in Sacramento, Stockton, and Oakland. In 1917, he was elected president of the Korean National Association while serving as the pastor of the Oakland church, becoming not only a church leader but also a community leader within the Korean community. In 1927, he earned a degree from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley.

Pastor Im Jeong-gu served at the Oakland Church until 1938.

He dedicated himself tirelessly to visiting various Korean churches in Northern California without any assistance from the Korean community, which took a toll on his health. He passed away on December 28, 1939, after a life devoted to mission work, service, and education.