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ED Nation's first Vatican prefect

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  • Published Jun 14, 2021 5:12 pm KST
  • Updated Jun 14, 2021 5:46 pm KST

Archbishop You ready to arrange Pope's visit to North Korea

Pope Francis appointed Lazzaro You Heung-shik, bishop of Daejeon, as the new prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy last week. The 69-year-old Catholic priest, who was also conferred with the title of archbishop, will become the first Korean and the second Asian to assume a secretariat position in the Holy See.

The appointment of a Korean bishop to the Congregation for the Clergy is a blessing to Catholicism in Korea. It's more meaningful, considering that this year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Father Andrew Kim Dae-geon, the country's first Catholic priest. As the head of the congregation, Archbishop You will be responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons all over the world as well as seminaries.

Speaking at a press conference Saturday, Archbishop You said his appointment reflects the increased presence of South Korea on the world stage and the Pope's attention to Asia. “I'll do my best to foster Catholic priests who treat people, regardless of race or religion, with a spirit of brotherhood,” he said.

The appointment of the archbishop draws keen attention in that it may be related to the Pope's potential visit to North Korea. Pope Francis has expressed his willingness to visit the North several times, saying he wants to play a role in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula. In fact, the archbishop told reporters Saturday that he will make every effort to arrange the Pope's trip to the North. “If the North invites the Pope in these times of severe economic difficulties, it will be a good chance for the reclusive country to overcome the hardships,” said Archbishop You who has been to North Korea four times.

Hopefully, the archbishop, who is expected to be promoted to a cardinal in October, will play an active role in promoting peace and reconciliation here. This could prove beneficial to boosting inter-Korean relations, given that his trajectory will be quite different from what has been pursued on a governmental level.