South Korea

This year marks the fortieth anniversary of the initiative by local Catholic communities dedicating the last Sunday of the liturgical year to the relationship between the faithful and Sacred Scripture. According to some statistics, 36 per cent of Catholics regularly read and meditate on the Bible (half the rate of Protestants). South Korean dioceses offer many online programmes, catering to young people as well as senior citizens.

An 18-year-old man died of cardiac arrest after he was turned away by several hospitals due to a lack of paediatric specialists. The case reignites the debate over the severe shortage of medical doctors in South Korea, which former President Yoon Suk-yeol had tried to address, but which specialists opposed in a lengthy strike. Paediatrics, in particular, faces serious issues due to the country's low birthrate.

At the age of 13, working in a glove factory, his hand and arm were crushed under a press. Now the South Korean president is relaunching the fight against workplace accidents. The country records 3.9 deaths per 100,000 workers, with a 4.1% increase in victims over the last five years. The government is increasing funds for prevention in 2026, with inspections in companies and protection for subcontracted workers. Meanwhile, the opposition accuses Lee of populism and ineffective measures.

The conservative leader is accused of seeking military escalation with North Korea to justify martial law, which he declared last year. Several analysts argue that progressive President Lee Jae Myung, who appointed the special prosecutor, must tread carefully to avoid accusations of political vengeance in an increasingly divided and polarised country.

South Korea’s highest court upheld a municipal ordinance easing building restrictions near heritage sites. This is a victory for Seoul’s incumbent Mayor Oh Se-hoon. Places like the Jongmyo Shrine are at risk. According to the UN body, "uncontrolled vertical development" can have negative impacts.

The Japanese prime minister is open to a summit regarding the case of 17 Japanese nationals, a matter that has dragged on since the 1970s. The last meeting between North Korean and Japanese leaders was in 2004 when Junichiro Koizumi was Japan’s prime minister. For its part, Pyongyang considers the matter closed. Meanwhile, the defence ministers of South Korea and the United States made their first joint visit to the Demilitarised Zone since 2017.

The US leader met with the South Korean president today on the eve of the APEC summit, signing an agreement on autos, steel, and investments. Yesterday, an agreement was reached with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, criticised by the Asahi Shimbun for being too soft. Tomorrow, the long-awaited meeting between Trump and Xi Jinping takes place in Busan. The Chinese leader will also have a bilateral meeting with the Japanese prime minister.

Delivered by the President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), Monsignor Andrews Thazhath. No Pope has visited the subcontinent since John Paul II's last visit in 1999. In 2024, Prime Minister Modi renewed the government's invitation to Pope Francis. Meanwhile, in Seoul, the Minister of Unification hopes that the pontiff's presence at World Youth Day 2027 will be a step towards ‘de facto unity’ between the Koreas.

The South Korean government has banned travel to some Cambodian provinces following the killing of a young South Korean abducted and forced to work in an online scam centre. A South Korean delegation has asked Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to repatriate its citizens still held in the compounds, while the US and the UK have imposed sanctions on Chen Zhi's Prince group, accused of links to criminal networks, which, despite Phnom Penh's statements, continue to thrive in Cambodia.

According to a survey conducted by the Korea Rural Economic Institute, only 40.4% of respondents said they would organise Charye - one of the rituals that characterise today's traditional harvest festival. In 2016, the figure was 74.4%. This is an indication of the changes taking place in Korean society. For the younger generations, the holiday that marked the return to their hometowns has become the season for travelling abroad.

Leo XIV met the congregation today, gathered for the 12th General Chapter. Sister Mari Lucia Kim, 60, a former provincial superior in South Korea, will lead the Pauline Sisters until 2031. She brings the vitality of their presence in the Far East to the institute founded by Blessed Giacomo Alberione for the apostolate through the media. Pope Leo calls on the Sisters “to look up and immerse yourselves.”

In 2023, 39.8 per cent of people over 65 were living below the country’s median income. About 57.6 per cent of seniors want to continue working out of economic necessity; two in three are unhappy with their standard of living. Retirees currently account for 20.3 per cent of the total population, but will reach 40 per cent by 2050. Divorces among seniors are also on the rise.