(from Lisbon) Young Koreans erupted in joy at Campo da Graça. They had been expecting it. Word had been in the air for some time. They had been preparing for this dream to come true. Now it has been officially announced: the next WYD in 2027 will be in Korea.
“Young Koreans, especially the youngest, children and teenagers, are looking forward to a message of hope, and the Pope is the only person who can give this message.”
The youth of Seoul are happy. In fact, they are overjoyed. More than 150 young pilgrims travelled from parishes in the Korean capital. They visited Fatima and Santiago de Compostela before arriving in Lisbon, where they say they had “an intense experience of spirituality.” Se Young Eum is 18 years old. “We are looking forward to seeing the Pope and the young people at the WYD in Korea. Ours is a small country, so it is a joy for us to be able to promote it among young people all over the world.” She says that Korea is a country of great material wealth, “but the young people,” she adds, “are desperate. They suffer from loneliness. They feel the burden of a culture of extreme competition that compels us from a very young age to attend the best school in order to get the best job, as if a job were a guarantee of a good life. But young people in Korea are not happy. It has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. Young people are suffering from depression. We expect the Pope to speak words that will bring us true happiness.”
Christina, 21, and Bona, a 24-year-old teacher, are part of the group from Seoul. “This was the first time that I saw the Pope. These days with him were very moving for me,” said Christina. Both girls agree that the Stations of the Cross were their most intense experience here in Lisbon. “It gave voice to our fears,” explains Christina. “Especially during the Covid pandemic, young people withdrew into their rooms. We experienced months of isolation that left us with a strong sense of loss. What do we need? Hope, hope is what we need.” Next to her, Bona says she wants to go back to work to give the children she teaches “all the love I have felt these past few days. Korean youths do not hope. It is hard for them to think about their future. Here in Lisbon we have experienced encounter, friendship and fraternity with young people from all over the world.” Looking forward to the next World Youth Day, she adds:
“Korea is looking forward to this message of hope and joy.”
Only once in its history has the World Youth Day taken place in Asia: in Manila in 1995 with John Paul II. In fact, there is an important historical precedent for the WYD 2027 in Seoul. From 13 to 18 August 2014, Pope Francis visited the Republic of Korea on the occasion of two emblematic events for the “Land of the Morning Calm”: the Sixth Asian Youth Day and the proclamation of 129 blessed. Francis met with the young people first at the Solmoe Shrine and again during the closing Mass of the Sixth Asian Youth Day at Haemi Castle. According to the Statistical Report of the Korean Catholic Church for the Year 2022, published in May this year by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of South Korea, there were 5,949,862 registered Korean Catholics in 16 dioceses nationwide in 2022, an increase of 0.2% (11,817) over the previous year. Based on the data collected, the proportion of believers in Korea compared to the total population (52,628,623) was 11.3%.
But an open wound remains. The Korean peninsula is divided. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the three-year Korean War. The armistice was signed on 27 July 1953. It established the division of the country into two states, with a demilitarised zone along the 38th parallel. Upon his arrival in Seoul in 2014, Pope Francis dedicated his first remarks on Korean soil to the reconciliation of the peninsula.
