Hawai'i Cedar Church was facing foreclosure over an $860,000 debt and its membership had dwindled to six people when help came in the form of a Korean pastor.

The Rev. Duk Whan Kim, 51, who has a better grasp of Spanish as a second language than English, arrived in August 2002 from a missionary stint of 15 years in Spain. Kim has restored financial stability, increased congregation numbers to 250 for Korean-language services and 40 to 60 for English services, and set up a weekly outreach program to feed the homeless.

Under Kim's leadership, the 31-year-old Assemblies of God (USA) church at 1545 Kamehameha IV Road is embarking on an ambitious project this year to establish an after-school Korean Cultural School for children in downtown Honolulu.

Hawai'i Cedar Church has a three-step plan to establish a school to preserve Korean language and culture, and also to promote music, cuisine and movies.

"The timing is good now," Kim said through interpreter Supok Yi Yamamoto. "We have a good chance for success."

The three-step plan involves raising money, finding an interim facility for the school, and then obtaining additional money to acquire a permanent site.

The church's fundraising begins with a monthlong Korean ceramic exhibition and bazaar to be held daily, except Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at a yet-to-be-announced location near Ke'ehi Lagoon Park. The tentative dates for the exhibition/bazaar are April 24 to May 24.

Kim also plans to travel to South Korea, Japan and the U.S. Mainland next summer to do revival services and raise money for the project. The startup cost is estimated at $100,000.

Kim is also counting on financial support from the South Korean government.

The second step involves renting a facility to operate an interim school, which Kim hopes to have open by September, and securing state and county permits.

The church is close to negotiating a rental agreement for a downtown two-story building with 20 rooms and parking, according to Kim.

Suzanne Bok Sun Yi, who'll be the school's principal, said there are about 15 Korean language schools on O'ahu, but three-hour classes are held only on Saturdays. "Three hours is not enough to teach language and culture," Yi said. The church's Korean Cultural School will be open Mondays through Fridays for up to three hours, she said.

The ultimate goal is to raise $500,000 by January 2008 for a down payment to purchase a building, for about $2.5 million, that will be the permanent site of the Korean Cultural School, where students will be taught Korean language, history, arts (musical instruments, calligraphy, music, crafts and literature), martial arts, and human morality, etiquette and genealogy.

The long-range plan is for morning, afternoon and night childcare; preschool morning courses, classes for elementary, middle school and high school age group in the afternoon, with college and adult classes in the evening.

Classes for non-Koreans will also be offered to the community.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.