In the large open space outside Rome, one million young people celebrated their Jubilee ahead of the next WYD in Asia. AsiaNews spoke to some of the 1,500 Koreans in attendance, “eagerly waiting” and “diligently preparing for 2027.” One said that his mother’s conversion “brought me here today, to Rome.” Young people from Japan, India, Lebanon, and Iraq will hold in their hearts the unique encounters that rekindled their faith.
On August 4, parliament will vote on the Yellow Envelope Law, a measure that blocks companies from seeking compensation from workers for “illegitimate” protests and extends liability to subcontractors. Already approved last year, the bill was blocked by a veto from then-conservative President Yoon. The chaebol, Korea's large industrial conglomerates, are opposed to the bill, fearing they will lose further ground.
For eleven consecutive months, South Korea, which held the sad record of being the country with the lowest fertility rate in the world, has been recording a reversal of this trend, albeit in a context that remains far from the replacement rate. From January to May 2025, birth growth accelerated with a 6.9% increase compared to the same period last year. This is mainly due to public incentives for marriage. But the challenge remains to convince those who do not want to have children today.
A new law will end a practice that began after the Korean War and lasted for decades. The process will now pass from private agencies to the state, in accordance with the Hague Convention. However, some issues remain, including the need for more legislative action and budgetary support from the country’s new administration.
In first ever, a training course organised in collaboration with a company in the sector explored not so much the ethical implications but the opportunities for the practical use of these tools in pastoral care. Participants said: ‘It can become an essential aid in improving preaching and pastoral care.’
The South Korean president met with the cardinal, prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy. He is hoping to meet Leo XIV soon and that the pope’s 2027 visit for WYD will be an historic step towards thaw and peace in the Peninsula. Speaking to reporters, the cardinal said that the WYD is “a great opportunity to make the spirit of martyrdom known to young people”. During the weeks of chaos over the attempted imposition of martial law, Pope Francis prayed for South Korea.
