CBCK News
2009-08-25 10:51
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Communication on Dec. 5



* Message for 2003 Human Rights Sunday Issued

On the occasion of the Human Rights Sunday on December 7, the Most Rev. John Choi Young-soo, President of the Committee for Justice & Peace of the CBCK, issued a Message and reminded the Catholics of their duty toward "vulnerable immigrant workers, or undocumented immigrants, refugees, defectors, deportees due to the violent conflicts taking place in many parts of the world and the victims of trafficking, mostly women and children, which is a dreadful crime."

In the Message titled "Blessed Are Those Who Welcome Strangers!", he said, "One very important task in the promotion of human rights is to recognize the 'rights of family,'" and stressed, "the entire society as well as the State should protect and promote the values of family and marriage."

He urged people, especially the Catholics, to "make efforts to overcome the anti-life culture and build new culture of life" and asked the government and legislative body to "amend the faulty laws."

He also expressed concern over sending combat troops to Iraq, saying, "Combat troop dispatch always involves possibilities to impair the human rights of local people and of the stationary troops seriously."

With regard to the tension between the residents of Wi-do, Buan-gun, and government regarding the nuclear waste dump site, he said, "It is necessary to examine if the present situation is a result of collective selfishness or a disturbance caused by suppressing the truth, and a transparent and formal channel of communication should be opened."

Regarding the human rights of North Korean people and defectors he continued, "In any case human life must be respected and no public power has the right to injure it," and urged people to pay attention to the issue of immigrant workers in Korea as well.

Finally, he concluded the Message wishing "those who welcome strangers abundant blessing of God."



* Church in Korea to Celebrate 40 years of Diplomatic Relations between Korea and the Holy See

On December 11, celebrations will take place at the Pontifical Korean College in Rome to mark the 40th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Korea and the Holy See.

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Holy See will prepare the celebrations, which will include Mass concelebrated by H.E. Angelo Cardinal Sodano, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and the Most Rev. Andreas Choi Chang-mou, President of the CBCK, congratulatory performance, reception for diplomatic delegates from countries and officials of the Holy See, and dinner party for overseas Korean priests, religious and people residing in Italy.

Earlier on November 20, Mr. Yoon Young-kwan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Korea, had private audience with Pope John Paul II and delivered the autograph letter of President Roh Moo-hyun addressed to the Pope. The Pope also sent President Roh a reply of same date.

In the meantime, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Holy See set about project of publishing a collection of diplomatic documents of the two states, in bilingual version, as the Most Rev. Choi suggested on this occasion.

As the Republic of Korea and the Holy See agreed to establish diplomatic relations at a ministerial level in 1963, Pope Paul VI announced to establish Apostolic Internunciature in Korea on December 11, same year. In 1966, the two states promoted the diplomatic relations to an ambassadorial level.