* Korean Participants in the 23rd World Youth Day

Some 1,000 Korean youths under the guidance of the Most Rev. Basil Cho Kyu-man (President of the Committee for Youth Ministry of the CBCK and Auxiliary Bishop of Seoul), the Most Rev. Joseph Lee Han-taek, Bishop of Uijeongbu, and the Most Rev. John Chrysostom Kwon Hyeok-ju, Bishop of Andong, participated in the 23rd World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, from July 15 to 20, 2008.

Before the official program, the Korean participants had time to share friendship with Australian youths in the Archdioceses of Melbourne and of Brisbane from July 10 to 14.

From July 16 to 18, the Korean youths attended catechesis sessions led by Bishop Cho, Bishop Lee, and Bishop Kwon in the Sydney Korean Church, St. Teresa's Church and St Mel's Church in the Archdiocese of Sydney respectively.

On July 16, more than 10,000 World Youth Day pilgrims from Asia gathered for a concert at Sydney Olympic Park for the Asian Youth Gathering. In this event, the Korean participants from the Diocese of Cheongju performed the traditional Korean fan dance and received a thunderous round of applause.

Bishop Cho said, "The World Youth Day is a place of festival where thousands of young people from all over the world gather together and share their own faith and culture in the bosom of God. It is a great opportunity for Korean youths to look into what the Catholic Church in Korea lacks and to realize the necessity of renewal to make up for it." He also said, "I am sure that through this World Youth Day all Korean young participants were able to receive the abundant grace of the Holy Spirit. I hope that they will share the inexhaustible love that God gave to them during this event with their family and friends when they return home."