South Korea will enter the final year of preparations for World Youth Day Seoul 2027 on Aug. 3, mobilizing about 230 parishes, 30,000 volunteers, and government agencies for the first gathering hosted by a country where Christianity is a minority faith.
The Local Organizing Committee said preparations were moving from groundwork to full implementation, with work underway on pilgrim services, accommodation, transportation, safety, medical care, and communications.
The main events will be held in Seoul from Aug. 3 to 8, 2027, bringing the pope and hundreds of thousands of young people from around the world to the South Korean capital.
International pilgrims will first take part in the Days in the Dioceses from July 29 to Aug. 2 in 15 dioceses across the country. They will stay with local communities and experience the faith and culture of the Church in Korea.
The gathering will be the second World Youth Day held in Asia after Manila hosted the event in 1995.
“Over the past three years, we have concentrated on laying the foundations for the event,” said Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul, president of the organizing committee.
“The year ahead will be the time to complete our preparations and welcome young people from every part of the world. We will do everything possible to make WYD Seoul 2027 a celebration of hope and a witness to the hospitality and solidarity of Korea and Seoul,” he said.
The one-year countdown will be marked by the release of the official theme song, “Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum,” or “Take courage! I have overcome the world.”
Korean composer Francis Jiyoon Kim wrote the song, which was selected from 434 entries, including 294 from outside South Korea.
Organizers will also launch the Breath of Life Global Tree-Planting Campaign with the Laudato Si’ Movement. The initiative will invite young people to plant trees in their countries and share their participation online.
The campaign aims to involve future pilgrims in ecological action, reduce the carbon footprint of their participation, and leave a legacy beyond the 2027 gathering.
The Archdiocese of Seoul is preparing a large-scale homestay program involving about 230 parishes. Guidelines on host eligibility, safeguarding, training, and pilgrim allocation have been distributed, while parishes have begun recruiting host families.
Public facilities may also be used as supplementary accommodation. Organizers said the homestay program would allow pilgrims to experience Korean family life, parish communities, and local hospitality.
The committee plans to deploy about 30,000 volunteers. Some 10,000 will serve in central operations, including pilgrim assistance, interpretation, event management, medical support, and safety, while another 20,000 will serve in parishes across the Archdiocese of Seoul.
A total of 378 volunteers, including foreign residents and international long-term volunteers, are already involved in the preparations. Recruitment of short-term volunteers from South Korea and abroad will begin when pilgrim registration opens in October.
The South Korean government, National Assembly, Seoul Metropolitan Government and the city’s education authorities are supporting the preparations.
Legislation and municipal ordinances adopted in 2026 provide a framework for cooperation on transportation, public safety, medical services, administration and the use of public facilities.
Organizers have established a Crisis Response Center to coordinate safety and medical planning. A multilingual call center will respond to inquiries and emergencies during the event.
The Catholic Medical Center will lead medical operations through a system linking first-aid stations, on-site clinics, hospitals and intensive care facilities.
Registration for international pilgrims is scheduled to open in October. Pilgrims will be able to choose from 11 packages based on the length of their stay and the events they plan to attend.
The packages will include accommodation, meals, transportation, insurance and an official pilgrim kit. Contributions are expected to range from about $80 to $310.
Organizers are also developing an integrated logistics system, a pilgrim application and a prepaid card for public transportation and purchases.
About 250 youth ministry representatives from bishops’ conferences worldwide will meet in South Korea from Sept. 14 to 17 for the Second International Preparatory Meeting.
The meeting will review preparations, discuss the needs of international delegations, and strengthen coordination with local Churches. Delegates will also be introduced to Korean culture and plans for the Days in the Dioceses.
Seoul was announced as the next World Youth Day host city at the closing of the Lisbon gathering in August 2023.
Since then, organizers have established the event’s structure, celebrated its inaugural Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral, unveiled the official theme verse and logo, announced five patron saints, formed the World Youth Day choir and orchestra, and appointed the Korean Broadcasting System as host broadcaster.
