AsiaNews.it
Border Mass “to restart dialogue”
by Joseph Yun Li-sun
About 20,000 Catholics take part in Mass, celebrated near the Demilitarised Zone, for peace between the two Koreas. “It is a very grave moment,” Bishop Kim said. “We must go back to respecting one another and silence weapons.”
Seoul (AsiaNews) – More than 20,000 South Korean Catholics took part in a peace Mass organised by the Korean Bishops’ Conference. The purpose of the service was to “bring to an end the hostilities that divide the Korean Peninsula.” The Mass was the first of its kind in eight years. South Korea’s Unification Minister Hyun In-take was present at the function.
“We are facing the biggest crisis since Korea was divided. With inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges put on hold and mutual aspersions on the rise, we have reached a phase where both Koreas resort to military power," Mgr Luke Kim Woon-hoe, bishop of Chunchon, told the people present at the Demilitarised Zone on the border with North Korea.
"We should now respect each other's different lifestyles and resume exchanges," he added.
The Mass, which was held last Friday, ended in applause.
“As I wrote in my message for Unity Day, North Korea must act in many fields,” the bishop told AsiaNews. “If it wants respect, it must improve its human rights situation and start to act with sincerity,” added the prelate, who is president of the Episcopal Commission for the Reconciliation of the Korean People.
South Korean Catholics must “think about their brothers across the border, who are starving to death,” Bishop Kim said. “We don’t need a policy of passive tolerance, but should adopt an active attitude. We should not forget that we are apostles of peace.”