Catholics in South Korea plan to march near the demilitarized zones that separate them from Communist North Korea which Church explains is “a special time to pray for reconciliation and unity of the Korean people.” The event will coincide with the 60th anniversary of the end of the armistice between the two Koreas on July 27th.
According to Fides News Agency, the event was organized by the “Commission for the Reconciliation of the Korean people” of the Korean Bishops Conference. The head of the Commission, Bishop Peter Lee Ki-heon of Uijeongbu, stated that the event will focus on prayer for peace between the divided peninsula.
“In spite of the signed armistice, the Korean peninsula is still in a state of war, as a final peace treaty has not been signed,” Bishop Ki-heon told Fides. “This is why it is still important to pray and work for peace, and the events proposed to the faithful can be milestones for peace on the Korean peninsula.”
The commission organized in June a prayer chain to invoke the Blessed Virgin Mary’s intercession for peace in the region. A symposium entitled “Peace on the Korean Peninsula: How to Build It” was also organized as part of the Episcopal Conferences efforts. The peace march will take place from July 26th – August 1st.
A statement from the commission sent to Fides stated the need for a lasting peace and not “a precarious cease-fire in force in the last 60 years.”
“It is important to rekindle the passion of the faithful for the reconciliation and unity of the Korean people, to build genuine peace on the Korean peninsula, to prepare for the evangelization of North Korea, helping the faithful to become apostles of peace,” the note read.
