Theresa Kim Hwa-young

The island was to house a new outpost of the South Korean Navy but after protests from residents, the project was shelved. Without telling anyone, on 8 March, the demolition teams blew up a piece of coast. The bishops: "Are we a democracy or a dictatorship? The government can not ignore us. "

For the first time, a South Korean leader raises the issue during celebrations marking the birth of the country's independent movement on 1 March and the start of the fight against Japanese colonialism. The president also expressed his solidarity with a lawmaker on a hunger strike to protest China's decision to repatriate North Korean refugees.

The Commission for Justice and Peace speaks of a terrible crime, an offense against humanity and against God. Hundreds of people attend the latest weekly protest march, which was held in front of the Japanese embassy. Japanese citizen, "more and more people should know about this tragedy".

The shepherds evoke the spirit of Vatican II 50 years after the opening of a council which remains "an essential point of reference." Priority themes to promote: family, life, the elderly, community and mission. Ethical values come to include the defense of the territory.

In a message released yesterday by the Committee for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, the bishop of Suwon explained, “We must look at the world from the prospective of the Gospel to meet our challenges.”

For Japan, the 1965 bilateral agreement settled the issue of reparations. During the Second World War, some 200,000 Korean women between 11 and 25 were drafted for sexual favours by the Japanese military.

The South Korean government wants to change SOFA, the Agreement on the Statute of the armed forces in the area. The decision arose out of two recent incidents of sexual violence, allegedly carried out by US soldiers. The treaty will not be at the center of the official summit in Washington between Obama and Lee.

Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists of various orders and animists, a delegation of 24 people crosses (via China) the boarder and head to the North to "pave the way towards reconciliation." A source reveals to AsiaNews: "Nice gesture, but in Pyongyang they do not care about religion. They need humanitarian aid. "

Chung Myung-whun, the music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and UNICEF goodwill ambassador, has landed in Pyongyang for a number of musical events. He hopes to bridge the gap between the two Koreas.

Many civil society organisations are opposed to the new naval base because it would affect the island’s pristine nature and great beauty. The president of the Korean Bishops’ Conference also opposes the installation. A ‘peace plane’ and 20 ‘peace buses’ are set to be part of a peaceful non-violent protest.

The Protestant Church of South Korea "stands out" in civil society for the enthusiasm with which it welcomed the assigning of the Winter Olympics to Pyeongchang. According to pastors and faithful, it is the fruit of their fervent prayers and Kim Yu-na, figure skating gold medalist at the last Games. Who, however, is Catholic.

Mothers have an important place in the life of the Korean people. Since the early days of Catholicism, Korean Christians have shown great devotion to the Virgin. Theresina bears witness and tells her story of helping children.