Theresa Kim Hwa-young

Catholics, Protestants, mainstream Buddhists and members of the Buddhist Jogye Order are against the plan, which could put at risk the country’s environmental stability and destroy communities living along the affected rivers. They also plan to boycott all businesses that back the project, which the authorities are trying hard to sell.

For the first time since the election of conservative Lee Myung-bak as president of South Korea, Pyongyang’s Stalinist regime formally requests aid from its neighbour. Rice, cement and building equipment are needed to help victims of devastating rains.

An association of Protestant clergymen launch an appeal urging the government to send food surpluses to the North. Food should not be used as a weapon in intra-Korean confrontation. Delegates representing South Korea’s five largest religious denominations bring 300 tonnes of wheat flour to the North.

Catholics, Protestants and Buddhists are working together to stop the project. Strongly backed by the South Korean government, the scheme could destroy the ecosystem of the country’s major river systems. Masses, demonstrations and prayer vigils are held for strictly religious reasons.

116 thousand more than 2008. Since 1999 there has been an annual increase of 2-3%. In 2008 the number exceeded 5 million. Ordination of priests also increases, around 4913: one for every 1,171 faithful.

The opposition and some members of the majority voice doubts over feasibility and ask for a "revision" or "complete halt". President Lee’s ambitions hindered by change of leadership in some local governments, after last week’s elections.

President Lee Myung-bak orders "resolute and systematic" countermeasures towards Pyongyang. Together with the United States, the government could raise the alert to level 2, which means "vital threat" to the nation. South Korea blocks food and aid to the North cancelled the delivery of one million vaccines against hepatitis.

In Myeongdong Cathedral every evening the priests and faithful celebrate a Mass, followed by a prayer vigil. Catholics protesting against the government's indifference to warnings over a project involving the country’s the four main rivers. It "significantly" impacts environment. Catholic leaders, "protests will continue indefinitely”.

For the first time since 1987, the South Korean community of faithful unite to stop the government project that poses a serious risk to the development and ecology of the country. The path indicated by the Episcopal Conference, quoting the Pope: "Nature is God's gift to man, and we are responsible for it."

According to the South Korean Bishops' Conference, the number of Catholics has increased over the last year: at the moment, they are about 10% of the population. Vocations also on the rise and interest of non-Christians in the Church. Professor of the Science of religions: “merit of virtue expressed by the faithful."

For the second consecutive year, the number of births declined from 466,000 in 2008 to 445,000 in 2009. The fertility rate among women 15 to 49 now stands at 1.14, a drop of .04 per cent. The net result is an aging population, a trend that will inevitably affect the country’s welfare system.

Revealed in a recent survey by the Korean Institute for National Unification (Kinu). 86.7% would like a third inter-Korean summit and the majority advocate a policy of dialogue. However, the image of North Korea has been worsened by the rigidity of the regime and the difficult relations between the two countries.