Koreans mourn Pope Francis, look back on his Korea legacy
A man of disarming humility, serious about peace on Korean Peninsula, say believers and non-believers
A memorial for the late Pope Francis began Tuesday at Myeongdong Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Seoul, where a space for paying tribute opened a day after the death of the Head of the Catholic Church.
'I feel at a complete loss, not as a Catholic but as a human being searching for the kind of decency the pope has always shown," said Jang Gil-ja, a lifelong Catholic who said she would pay respects as soon as the public mourning started in the afternoon. Catholic leaders paid homage in the morning, led by Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung and Seoul Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick.
The 88-year-old pontiff had been an icon for the past 12 years, even to non-believers, said Hyun Myung-sook, an atheist.
The allure lies in the man himself, Hyun added, referring to the pope who was known for advocating for justice and his outreach to the marginalized.
Legacy to honor
One of the striking memories many Koreans have of the pope dates to his August 2014 visit to Korea, the first since Pope Saint John Paul II's second visit to Korea in 1989.
On Aug. 14, the first day of his five-day trip, Francis met with and consoled bereaved family members of the Sewol ferry disaster that occurred in April that year. He went on to meet with bereaved loved ones of Sewol victims on multiple occasions throughout his visit: upon landing at Seoul Air Base, the following day at the Mass of the Assumption of Mary celebrated at Daejeon World Cup Stadium in Daejeon, and on the third day during a car parade at Gwanghwamun Square.
Francis was in Korea to beatify 124 Korean Catholic martyrs in Seoul, including Paul Yun Ji-chung, and to officiate a Mass at the Sixth Asian Youth Day.
Koreans were also moved by the pope's words eight years later in 2022. He said a prayer for the victims of the Itaewon crowd crush in October that year, which killed 150 mostly young adults out to enjoy Halloween festivities.
"Young people tragically lost their lives. Let us pray for them," Francis said during a Mass at St. Peter's Square.
Francis was just as invested in his message of peace as he was in advancing solidarity. Reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula, where the two Koreas technically remain in a state of war, was a topic in which Francis took a deep interest. Though an armistice agreement ended the fighting of the 1950-53 Korean War, no peace treaty has been signed since.
'When they invite me — that is to say, please invite me — I won't say no,' Francis said of the possibility of visiting North Korea to help broker peace in a 2022 interview with local broadcaster KBS.
Then South Korean President Moon Jae-in had floated the idea each time he visited the Vatican — in 2018 and 2021.
Entreaties for a papal visit to North Korea, which never came to fruition, were made by a number of South Korean presidents. A devout Catholic, former President Kim Dae-jung sought the same intervention from Pope John Paul II when he visited the Vatican in March 2003, the first for a sitting Korean president.
The ripple effect of the pope's visit would translate to "influence and blessing unimaginable now," Kim said at the time, crediting the pontiff with potential breakthroughs in not just inter-Korean rapprochement but international peace.
John Paul, however, was more hesitant than Francis. "I don't yet have such plans but if that happens, that would be a miracle," John Paul said.
Korean Catholics' sorrow over Francis' death is deepened as the pope was expected to visit the country in 2027 to attend World Youth Day, a global event to be hosted in Seoul.
Korea is the second Asian country to host the event after the Philippines in 1995, a selection some Catholics say is a hint of Korea's growing foothold within the Roman Catholic Church.
"It's a shame that we don't get to see the pope in person," said Hwang Jeong-cheol, who plans on taking part in the event, which is expected to be attended by some 800,000 Catholics from around the world.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
11-06-2025
- Korea Herald
KF-16 damaged in Alaska, no casualties reported
A South Korean KF-16 fighter jet was damaged during a multinational air combat drill in the United States, the South Korean Air Force said Wednesday. According to the military, the incident occurred around 4 p.m. during takeoff at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska. A fire broke out in the aircraft, causing partial damage, and an emergency ejection was carried out. The flight was part of the Red Flag-Alaska exercise hosted by the United States Pacific Air Forces. The KF-16, a twin-seat fighter, was carrying two pilots, both holding the rank of captain. They safely ejected and were transported to a nearby hospital. The military said both sustained only minor burns and they are in stable condition. The extent of the damage to the aircraft has not been disclosed. The South Korean Air Force said it is working closely with its US counterpart to determine the cause of the incident and assess the situation. South Korea has deployed 11 aircraft for the Red Flag exercise, including KF-16 fighters and KC-330 multirole tanker transports, along with around 100 personnel. The participants began terrain orientation and acclimation flights earlier Monday, with the main training set to run for about two weeks starting next Monday. They are scheduled to return to South Korea on July 1.
Korea Herald
11-06-2025
- Korea Herald
S. Korean KF-16 damaged in Alaska drill; no serious injuries reported
A South Korean KF-16 fighter jet was damaged during a multinational air combat drill in the United States, the South Korean Air Force said Wednesday. According to the military, an emergency ejection occurred during takeoff at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska, as part of the Red Flag-Alaska exercise hosted by the United States Pacific Air Forces. The KF-16, a twin-seat fighter, was carrying two pilots at the time. Both safely ejected and were transported to a nearby hospital. The extent of the damage to the aircraft has not been disclosed. The South Korean Air Force said it is working closely with its US counterpart to determine the cause of the incident and assess the situation. South Korea has deployed 11 aircraft for the Red Flag exercise, including KF-16 fighters and KC-330 multirole tanker transports, along with around 100 personnel. The participants began terrain orientation and acclimation flights earlier Monday, with the main training set to run for about two weeks starting next Monday. They are scheduled to return to South Korea on July 1.
Korea Herald
11-06-2025
- Korea Herald
S. Korean, US troops conduct deployable bridge drills
South Korean and US military engineers practiced installing a deployable bridge at a major US base in South Korea this week as part of efforts to strengthen joint capabilities in maintaining supply lines during wartime, officials said Monday. The five-day exercise began Monday at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, involving some 50 personnel from the South Korean Army's 1117th Engineer Corps and the 11th Engineer Battalion of the US 2nd Infantry Division. The drills were focused on setting up the US military's Line of Communication Bridge, which allows troops and equipment to cross various terrains over distances of up to 300 meters. South Korean and US troops regularly train on installing deployable bridges, often over rivers, due to South Korea's terrain that is home to more than 3,800 streams and rivers. (Yonhap)
