Joseph Yun Li-sun

The German branch of the Roman Catholic organization, thanks to donations from Europe and from South Korea, has already immunized more than 430,000 minors to preserve them from the Japanese strain of the disease. By the end of the year about 3.2 million will have been vaccinated in the southern areas of the country.

Some sources claim that Kim Ok, the dear leader's fourth wife and personal secretary, was removed from the scene along with her father to boost Kim Jong-un's power. The existence of a 10-year-old son could explain the decision since he could be seen as a threat to the current leader.

One of the first catechists of the nascent Korean Church, Mattia Choe In-gil, had the task of defending the first Chinese priest to have entered the country: he succeeded but it cost him his life. Refusing to reject the Catholic faith, he accepted a brutal death at the hands of the agents of the Court of Seoul. AsiaNews presents the life and work of these witnesses of Christ waiting for canonization.

Fr Cyril Axelrod launches his autobiography at a meeting in the South Korean capital. Diagnosed deaf in his childhood, he became completely blind in 2000. He developed the Catholic Mission for the Deaf opening schools in Asia. He was with Fr Park Min-seo, the only deaf priest in Asia. "Our problem is nothing compared to the cross Christ had to bear" but it enables us "to show the world God's glory".

The Church will be inaugurated by Card. Cheong and dedicated to "forgiveness and atonement." Inside mosaics portraying the Christian martyrs, by artists from the north. The Archbishop Emeritus of Seoul: "The building represents the desire for peace, unity and reconciliation that animates the Korean people."

In Seoul, more than 3,000 people from different religious backgrounds call on the government to promote the sanctity of life. Inspired by the slogan 'Life says, Life listens, and Life walks!', protesters want change to boost births. "Let us give people an opportunity to do the right thing," said the president of the Pro-Life Commission of the Bishops' Conference.

The Korean Bishops' Conference organised a symposium to analyse the conversion and work of Alexius Hwang Sa-yeong, author of the 'Silk Letter', who is one of the 123 companions of Paul Yun waiting for beatification. AsiaNews continues to present the life and work of these witnesses of Christ.

June 12, after almost 6 years, ministerial level talks between the two Koreas will resume. On the table the reopening of the Kaesong industrial complex and the possible resumption of family reunions. No military officers in North’s delegation.

The regime is in the midst of an ever worsening economic and food crisis: in response it orders send the entire population to work in the rice fields. Including children aged 5 to 10 years, who carry bags of seeds around the countryside. The propaganda sends a band of musicians to "encourage them".

The bishop writes to the Buddhist community on the Buddha's birthday. "In the midst of conflict and division, people of faith are called to give a sign of peace and sharing." Love and mercy should be "rooted in our whole society."

After a month of continuous military provocations against Washington and Seoul, the regime led by the young Kim Jong-un orders the removal of the "hawk" Kyok-sik Kim, at the forefront during the sinking of the Cheonan and the attack on the island of Yeonpyeong. Replaced by a young semi-unknown.

Fr Gerard Hammond, a Maryknoll missionary in Korea for decades, has just returned from a humanitarian mission to Pyongyang. "With the Eugene Bell Foundation, we donated drugs against tuberculosis, but also brought a desire for reconciliation expressed many times by Francis and the bishops of the South ".