Presbyterian minister who was one of the most prominent leaders of the early Korean Christian Church.

Prior to his conversion to Christianity in 1897, Kiel had been a follower of Son (Zen) Buddhism. He was a member of the first graduation class of the newly founded Presbyterian Seminary and was the first Korean minister to work in the pastoral ministry. He was appointed vice chairman of the Presbyterian General Assembly in Korea when it was established in 1912. He was perhaps the most effective evangelist to emerge during the revival of 1907. His strong faith and zeal took him beyond the immediate confines of the church: he was one of the two first signatories of Korea's Declaration of Independence in 1919. Jailed for such activities and finally released, he turned to eschatological preaching, placing great emphasis on the Book of Revelation.