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In South Korea, Pope Francis Offers Consolation and Hope In South Korea, Pope Francis Offers Consolation and Hope
(about 2 hours later)
SEOUL, South Korea — Pope Francis arrived in South Korea on Thursday, beginning the first papal visit to Asia since 1999 by expressing hope for reconciliation on the divided Korean Peninsula and offering consolation to the families who lost hundreds of children to a ferry disaster in April. SEOUL, South Korea — Pope Francis arrived in South Korea on Thursday, beginning the first papal visit to Asia since 1999 by expressing hope for reconciliation on the divided Korean Peninsula and offering consolation to the families who lost hundreds of children in a ferry disaster in April.
“I came here thinking of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula,” the pope told President Park Geun-hye, who greeted him Thursday morning at a military airport south of Seoul, the capital, often used by visiting heads of state.“I came here thinking of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula,” the pope told President Park Geun-hye, who greeted him Thursday morning at a military airport south of Seoul, the capital, often used by visiting heads of state.
Underscoring the military tensions on the peninsula, North Korea fired three short-range rockets off its east coast shortly before the pope’s arrival from the west, over China. Later, after the pope landed, the North fired two more rockets. Pyongyang has conducted such launchings frequently in recent months.Underscoring the military tensions on the peninsula, North Korea fired three short-range rockets off its east coast shortly before the pope’s arrival from the west, over China. Later, after the pope landed, the North fired two more rockets. Pyongyang has conducted such launchings frequently in recent months.
The pope’s trip is widely seen as indicative of the Vatican’s increasing interest in Asia, where Roman Catholicism is a minority religion in most countries but is growing quickly, reflecting a shift away from the church’s traditional geographic base. While Europe and North America accounted for three-quarters of the world’s Catholics a century ago, the same percentage now lives in Latin America, Africa and Asia, according to Msgr. Robert J. Wister, professor of church history at Seton Hall University’s Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology.The pope’s trip is widely seen as indicative of the Vatican’s increasing interest in Asia, where Roman Catholicism is a minority religion in most countries but is growing quickly, reflecting a shift away from the church’s traditional geographic base. While Europe and North America accounted for three-quarters of the world’s Catholics a century ago, the same percentage now lives in Latin America, Africa and Asia, according to Msgr. Robert J. Wister, professor of church history at Seton Hall University’s Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology.
Nearly 11 percent of South Korea’s population identified as Catholic in 2005, the last time a nationwide census on religious affiliation was conducted.Nearly 11 percent of South Korea’s population identified as Catholic in 2005, the last time a nationwide census on religious affiliation was conducted.
During his five-day visit to South Korea, the pope plans to attend Asian Youth Day, a gathering of young Catholics, and to beatify 124 Catholics who were killed amid religious persecution in the 19th century.During his five-day visit to South Korea, the pope plans to attend Asian Youth Day, a gathering of young Catholics, and to beatify 124 Catholics who were killed amid religious persecution in the 19th century.
For South Korea, the pope’s trip comes after a troubling few months. The country is still grieving the loss of more than 300 people, mostly children, in the April 16 sinking of the Sewol, a ferry, off the southwestern coast, South Korea’s worst man-made disaster in decades. More recently, news reports have been dominated by revelations about the death of an army conscript after beatings and torture by his fellow soldiers. For South Korea, the pope’s trip comes after a troubling few months. The country is still grieving the loss of more than 300 people, mostly teenagers, in the April 16 sinking of the Sewol, a ferry, off the southwestern coast, South Korea’s worst man-made disaster in decades. More recently, news reports have been dominated by revelations about the death of an army conscript after repeated beatings and torture by his fellow soldiers.
At a brief welcoming ceremony Thursday at the airport, the pope met with the father of Park Seong-ho, an 18-year-old student who died in the ferry sinking, and with three other people who had lost family members. Mr. Park, a Catholic, had wanted to be a priest, according to his relatives. At a brief welcoming ceremony Thursday at the airport, the pope met with the father of Park Seong-ho, an 18-year-old student who died in the ferry sinking, and with three other people who lost family members. The younger Mr. Park, a Catholic, had wanted to be a priest, according to his relatives.
“My heart aches for you,” the pope said. “I remember the victims.” He held the hands of the relatives, some of whom were in tears during the meeting, according to local reporters.“My heart aches for you,” the pope said. “I remember the victims.” He held the hands of the relatives, some of whom were in tears during the meeting, according to local reporters.
For weeks, people who lost family members on the Sewol have been demonstrating in front of Parliament, camping out in downtown Seoul and in some cases holding hunger strikes, accusing the government of covering up aspects of the disaster. Organizers have asked for the pope’s support in their demand for an independent inquiry. For weeks, people who lost family members on the Sewol have been demonstrating in front of Parliament, camping out in central Seoul and in some cases holding hunger strikes, accusing the government of covering up details of the disaster. Organizers have asked for the pope’s support in their demand for an independent inquiry.
“We would like to know the truth about the disaster. We would like to make such disasters never happen again,” said Kim Byung-kwon, a representative of the families whose daughter died on the Sewol. “We believe the pope will share our wishes with all of those who are always ready to stand by the weak and the suffering in the world.”“We would like to know the truth about the disaster. We would like to make such disasters never happen again,” said Kim Byung-kwon, a representative of the families whose daughter died on the Sewol. “We believe the pope will share our wishes with all of those who are always ready to stand by the weak and the suffering in the world.”
As Ms. Park greeted the pope at the airport, she alluded to the continuing tensions with North Korea. “I hope your visit will bring warm comfort to our people and help open an era of peace and reconciliation to replace the division and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula,” she said.As Ms. Park greeted the pope at the airport, she alluded to the continuing tensions with North Korea. “I hope your visit will bring warm comfort to our people and help open an era of peace and reconciliation to replace the division and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula,” she said.
After landing at the airport, the pope was driven to the Vatican Embassy in a Korean-made compact sedan, a Kia Soul.After landing at the airport, the pope was driven to the Vatican Embassy in a Korean-made compact sedan, a Kia Soul.
Later Thursday, in a welcoming ceremony at the presidential Blue House, Ms. Park spoke of the pain of the division of the Korean Peninsula, reminding the pope that the Communist North had kidnapped and killed Christian pastors and priests and confiscated their churches. She said she hoped North Korea would move toward peace by abandoning its nuclear weapons development. Later Thursday, in a welcoming ceremony at the presidential Blue House, Ms. Park spoke of the pain of the division of the Korean Peninsula, reminding the pope that the Communist North had kidnapped and killed Christian pastors and priests and confiscated their churches. She said she hoped North Korea would abandon its nuclear weapons development.
“I hope your visit will help heal the wounds and pain of our people,” she said, in a reference to the deaths of the ferry victims and the soldier.“I hope your visit will help heal the wounds and pain of our people,” she said, in a reference to the deaths of the ferry victims and the soldier.
In his own remarks at the Blue House, the pope said that peace on the Korean Peninsula “affects the stability of the entire area and indeed of our whole war-weary world.”In his own remarks at the Blue House, the pope said that peace on the Korean Peninsula “affects the stability of the entire area and indeed of our whole war-weary world.”
North Korea’s state-run Catholic organization, which, along with its official churches and temples, is widely dismissed as an attempt by the government to hide its persecution of religious worshipers, has declined an invitation to send a delegation to a papal Mass scheduled in Seoul on Monday.North Korea’s state-run Catholic organization, which, along with its official churches and temples, is widely dismissed as an attempt by the government to hide its persecution of religious worshipers, has declined an invitation to send a delegation to a papal Mass scheduled in Seoul on Monday.
On Thursday morning, according to South Korean officials, two North Korean men swam to a South Korean island near the countries’ disputed sea border off the west coast, shouting that they wanted to defect. Tens of thousands of North Koreans have defected to the South through third countries, usually China, but cross-border defections are rare. Some Chinese trying to travel to South Korea to see Francis were recently blocked by local officials, said Ren Dahai, the head of a Catholic charity in Hebei Province, which abuts Beijing. He said he did not have exact numbers, but that the cases he had heard about were in northern China.
“From what I heard, there are people who were not allowed to go there, but some were allowed to go,” he said on Thursday in a telephone interview. “It’s about half and half. I think it all depends on the attitudes of the local governments. I don’t think it’s a central government order, or else no one would be able to get out.”
The Vatican does not have a formal relationship with the Chinese Communist Party and Chinese government, and the two sides are often at odds over appointments of bishops and other senior clergy members. As with other major religions in China, there are official Catholic churches in the country with priests approved by the authorities, and there are ones not state-sanctioned and deemed “underground,” though often allowed to conduct services.
In a break from tradition, China allowed the pope to fly through its airspace en route to South Korea. The pope then broadcast a message to Xi Jinping, the Chinese president and leader of the Communist Party.
“Upon entering Chinese air space, I extend best wishes to your excellency and your fellow citizens, and I invoke the divine blessings of peace and well-being upon the nation,” the pope said in a radio telegram.
On Thursday, official Chinese state news organizations published online a few articles on Francis’s trip. The website of People’s Daily, the official mouthpiece of the Communist Party, carried a short article on the pope landing in Seoul, complete with photographs of him disembarking on the tarmac and his meeting with Ms. Park.
People’s Daily also had an article online that focused on the pope flying over China and greeting Mr. Xi with the radio message. The article relied heavily on reporting by Reuters and the BBC, and it cited Reuters in saying that during a visit in October 1989 by Pope John Paul II to South Korea, China had prevented the pope’s airplane from flying through Chinese airspace. The story said the current trip marked a step forward in relations between the Vatican and Beijing, since the pope had been allowed to fly over China. By late afternoon, the story had been deleted from the website of People’s Daily, though a cached version could be seen online.