(Unofficial Translation)

Your Eminence Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, archbishop and bishops,

I am very glad to have you all here today. I am grateful to you for your valuable presence despite your very tight schedules due to the COVID-19 pandemic and torrential rains.

We have been trying to schedule this meeting since last year but have not been able to meet until today. Several times have been arranged, but the gathering has been delayed either due to my participation in the U.N. General Assembly or, most recently, because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Even today, the precarious situation necessitates this very uncomfortable seating arrangement. Please be kind enough to understand.

Whenever the country has been in difficult times, the Catholic Church has inspired the people with hope. It has always been with those in need in the lowest of places – demonstrating a spirit of sharing and mutual benefit. Last year, churches in Jeollanamdo Province –Sinan-gun’s Heuksan and Mokpo’s Gyeongdong – were designated State-Registered Cultural Heritage. This year, Bugang Church in Sejong joined the list. These designations are truly meaningful because they will make it possible for us as a nation to jointly preserve and honor the Catholic Church’s history and spirit of mutual benefit.

The Catholic Church has also been offering great comfort to the people as they overcome COVID-19 and recover from flood damage. In February, when local coronavirus transmissions began, the Catholic Church made a resolute decision to halt Mass simultaneously in all dioceses nationwide. It also helped parishioners observe Lent and Easter – the Church’s two largest annual rites – through broadcasts, thereby safeguarding the people’s safety. I was told that this was the first such closure in the 236-year history of the Korean Catholic Church. The Church has reached out and lent a helping hand to our neighbors whose livelihoods became uncertain due to COVID-19. It has also collected charitable donations for flood-stricken areas. All of our people will remember with gratitude those deeds.

With the recent surge in the number of confirmed cases in and around Seoul, we are facing yet another critical juncture in our epidemic prevention and control efforts. Responsible for such efforts, I am gravely aware of the situation. Given the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, to achieve success in both preventing the spread of the disease and reviving the economy is unquestionably a daunting task as evidenced by the fact that few countries are doing so.  

Fortunately, our country has been successful with epidemic prevention and control so far while minimizing economic repercussions thanks to the people who have shown trust in government and pooled their strengths. This is why we are seen as the most exemplary among the OECD member states in terms of both epidemic prevention and the economy. Our people have made this miraculous achievement.

However, we are now on the verge of seeing this achievement collapse if things go awry. If the situation worsens, measures taken to strengthen social distancing will wreak unspeakable havoc on our economy. Employment will also crater, bringing immense hardship to people’s lives. We must not allow one lax moment to undo all of our efforts. The Government will sternly deal with the flouting of epidemic prevention guidelines or noncompliance.

Our fight against the spread of COVID-19 faces a critical juncture through next week, and this week is particularly important. I hope religious communities will lead by example, so the spread of COVID-19 can be contained without further setbacks in our disease fighting efforts.

I think about the prayer Jesus said during the Passion– “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are.” We are in a most desperate situation when it comes to uniting people’s minds. As the COVID-19 crisis stretches on, they become increasingly exhausted, annoyed and even furious. I hope our religious leaders will share their courage and prayers with the people so as to heal their weary minds and enhance the power of solidarity for the sake of one another’s safety.

The Catholic Church devoted a Mass in its 16 dioceses nationwide this year to the 70th anniversary of the Korean War to pray for peace on the Peninsula. Since 2016, it has aspired to peace by holding the Korean Peninsula Peace-Sharing Forum every year. I reflect on the noble love of Bishop John Chang Yik, who devoted himself to promoting peace on the Peninsula by saying, “Bread is one and we are also one, one body.” I look forward to the Catholic Church always working together to help break impasses in inter-Korean dialogue and exchanges and hasten peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Next year will mark the meaningful 200th anniversary of the birth of Andrew Kim Taegon and Thomas Choe Yang-eop, Korea’s first priest and seminarian, respectively. While honoring them, I wish the Korean Catholic Church further progress. At every critical juncture, the Catholic Church has brought the people’s minds together as one and taken on the task of ensuring justice by standing on the side of the socially vulnerable. Today, I would like to hear insightful advice for not only surmounting the COVID-19 crisis but also advancing the country.

Thank you.