Seoul: The death of Pope Francis, who had long yearned for peace on the divided Korean Peninsula, triggered deep mourning among South Koreans on Monday. Even non-Catholics regarded the pontiff as a spiritual leader who showed deep compassion and a special affection for the country. He chose South Korea as his first destination in Asia after becoming pope in 2013 and appointed half of all Korean cardinals to date. Under his leadership, Seoul was chosen as the host city for the 2027 World Youth Day.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the pontiff maintained close communication with South Korean presidents, consistently showing a strong interest in peace on the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean relations. During his five-day visit to South Korea in 2014, he met with those who were suffering or marginalized, including victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery -- euphemistically referred to as "comfort women" -- as well as people with disabilities.
He comforted them and brought hope to Korean society, with his humble and modest demeanor, leaving a lasting impression on many. "I wanted to meet him again and thank him in person," Kim Young-oh, the bereaved father of a Sewol ferry disaster victim, told Yonhap News Agency on Monday regarding the pontiff's death. He met with the pope in August 2014 on the 34th day of his hunger strike to seek the truth behind the deadly sinking that left 304 people dead in April that year.
"When I thought no one would hold our hands, the pope was the person who gave us the most strength," he recalled, adding that the encounter helped trigger wider attention from media around the world.