Pope Leo XIV has appointed Reverend Matthew Kwang-Hee Choi as the new auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul, South Korea. He has been assigned the titular see of Elephantaria in Mauretania.
Bishop-elect Choi currently serves as director of the Department of Culture and Communication and spokesperson for the metropolitan archdiocese.
Born on September 21, 1977, in Seoul, he studied philosophy and theology at the Catholic University of Korea and obtained a licentiate in theology. He was ordained a priest on July 2, 2004, for the Archdiocese of Seoul.
Following his ordination, he served as parish vicar in Mook-dong and Shingsa-dong until 2007. He then pursued further studies in Rome, earning a licentiate in biblical theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 2012.
Upon returning to Korea, he worked with the Catholic Youth Biblical Group from 2013 to 2020 and later contributed to the formation of young priests through the Saint Peter program.
From 2021 to 2023, he served as deputy director of the Saint Imbert Centre for Spiritual Exercises.
His responsibilities expanded significantly in recent years, holding numerous leadership roles within the archdiocese, including positions in pastoral councils, communication commissions, and Catholic cultural institutions.
Since 2024, he has also taken a lead role in preparations for World Youth Day Seoul 2027 and currently serves on the management board of the John Paul II Youth Foundation.
