The Catholic Church in Korea renewed its call for reconciliation and active peacebuilding during the 10th Korean Peninsula Peace-sharing Forum in Seoul.
Hosted by the Korea Reconciliation Committee of the Archdiocese of Seoul and organized by the Institute for Peace-Sharing, this year’s gathering carried the theme “Let us all be reborn as Masters of Peace,” drawing inspiration from the late Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli Tutti.
In his welcoming address, Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul and Apostolic Administrator of Pyong-yang, said the encyclical teaches the faithful “to become ‘Masters of Peace’ who, creatively and boldly, embark on a journey of healing and new encounters”.
He added that “our Christian sense of mission to achieve peace is needed now more than ever,” and urged Catholics to “actively participate in the path to achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the world within the Catholic community.”
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Giovanni Gaspari, who offered his congratulatory remarks, said the Korea Reconciliation Committee and the Institute for Peace-Sharing have become “a point of reference in the Christian and civil community of Korea.”
He added that the forum’s theme “echoes the heart of the teaching of Leo XXIV,” and emphasized that “our Church is called to serve as patient bridge-builders, offering hope and healing with gentle hands and open hearts.”
He also welcomed the visible involvement of young people, saying, “The peace research and practice of the younger generation through the Thomas Society is precisely a concrete way of bringing (this) light of Christ to our society and the Korean Peninsula.”
To mark the forum’s 10th year, Katarina Zellweger, former director of the Caritas Internationalis North Korea Program, delivered the keynote speech.
She shared insights from living in Pyongyang and overseeing humanitarian work from 1995 to 2006, reflecting on the theme Eliminating Suffering, Bringing Hope, and Working Toward Peace and Reconciliation.
“Although the road back to diplomacy and engagement will be long and difficult – again, patience and determination will be needed,” she said. “When the door to North Korea opens again, we need to be ready to take action.”
The Archdiocese of Seoul and the Institute for Peace-Sharing said they plan to expand peace-focused programs in collaboration with churches around the world, local parishes, and youth communities as the Church prepares for World Youth Day 2027 and the centennial of the Pyongyang Diocese.
