By Yi Whan-woo
Twelve South Korean Catholic priests returned home after visiting North Korea for five days, the Ministry of Unification said Tuesday.
The members of the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice (CPAJ) attended a Mass for peaceful inter-Korean unification in Pyongyang, Sunday. They flew from China to North Korea, Friday.
It was the group's first visit to North Korea since 2008.
They visited Catholic churches in the North Korean capital before returning home, according the ministry.
Their five-day trip to the reclusive state was at the invitation of North Korea's Catholic association.
The visit came after an agreement between Seoul and Pyongyang, Aug. 25, when they agreed to facilitate civic exchanges in various sectors as part of efforts to defuse military tension and speed up reconciliatory efforts.
"We approved of the priests' visit this time because it was solely for religious exchanges between the two countries," a unification ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
The visit has fueled optimism that the government is diversifying inter-Korean exchanges in civic sectors, including groups of liberal activists who are critical of the conservative Park Geun-hye administration.
South Korea has only allowed its citizens to enter the North under limited circumstances, such as providing humanitarian aid.
"It's noteworthy that our priests could join religious activities in the heart of the repressive North," said Yang Moon-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
Priests previously went to the secretive state in September 2008 when 96 of them attended a special Mass in Pyongyang and prayed for the unification of the two Koreas.
CPAJ has openly spoken up on social and political issues against conservative governments and their leaders, including Lee Myung-bak, Park's predecessor.
In June 2009, the Lee administration rejected CPAJ members' joint plan with a group of Buddhist monks to attend a prayer meeting at a Buddhist temple on North Korea's Mount Myohyang.
Twelve South Korean Catholic priests returned home after visiting North Korea for five days, the Ministry of Unification said Tuesday.
The members of the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice (CPAJ) attended a Mass for peaceful inter-Korean unification in Pyongyang, Sunday. They flew from China to North Korea, Friday.
It was the group's first visit to North Korea since 2008.
They visited Catholic churches in the North Korean capital before returning home, according the ministry.
Their five-day trip to the reclusive state was at the invitation of North Korea's Catholic association.
The visit came after an agreement between Seoul and Pyongyang, Aug. 25, when they agreed to facilitate civic exchanges in various sectors as part of efforts to defuse military tension and speed up reconciliatory efforts.
"We approved of the priests' visit this time because it was solely for religious exchanges between the two countries," a unification ministry official said on condition of anonymity.
The visit has fueled optimism that the government is diversifying inter-Korean exchanges in civic sectors, including groups of liberal activists who are critical of the conservative Park Geun-hye administration.
South Korea has only allowed its citizens to enter the North under limited circumstances, such as providing humanitarian aid.
"It's noteworthy that our priests could join religious activities in the heart of the repressive North," said Yang Moon-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.
Priests previously went to the secretive state in September 2008 when 96 of them attended a special Mass in Pyongyang and prayed for the unification of the two Koreas.
CPAJ has openly spoken up on social and political issues against conservative governments and their leaders, including Lee Myung-bak, Park's predecessor.
In June 2009, the Lee administration rejected CPAJ members' joint plan with a group of Buddhist monks to attend a prayer meeting at a Buddhist temple on North Korea's Mount Myohyang.
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