life and has asked the government not to use human life in any form, a san object.  The comments were made by Card. Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, Archbishop of Seoul during the annual “Day for Life” which was held September 2nd in the capital.

The Day began with the celebration of solemn mass in the Cathedral of Myongdong, presided over by the cardinal and attended by over 4 thousands people: among then bishops, priests, religious and lay Catholics, but also politicians government representatives and leaders of other religions.  During the mass a declaration of “Resolution to Defend Life” was read and a candle lit rosary recited.

In his homily, Card. Cheong said: “This pro-life Mass and prayer was planned out of our deep concern because we could not be silent before the serious crisis of life in our society. We cannot loosen our commitment to transform the prevailing culture of death to the culture of life.”.

Now, he concluded, “It is time for each of us to seek for what we can do to make our society respect life and to practice it in our daily life. We should have concern over and voice against whatever opposes life”.

At the end of the mass the “Resolution to Defend Life”, a document which “affirms and defends the dignity of human life” and “proclaims the Gospel of life” was read.  Moreover it asks the government to abandon the policies and laws which “provoke a view that is against life”.

The test also states: “We oppose the research of human embryo cloning because it compromises the dignity of human life. We ask the government to abolish immediately capital punishment and to not make use of human life, in any form, for industrial purposes”.