Korean Bishop Appeals for Peace

South Korea’s bishops on April 5 asked Pope Francis to act as a peace mediator amid the escalating nuclear tension in the Asian peninsula. “The dominant sentiment among the South Korean population isn’t so much fear, but concern and bitterness for the current situation,” said Bishop Peter Kang U-il, bishop of Cheju and President of the Episcopal Conference of Korea. A new war on the peninsula, considering the lethal character of contemporary weapons, “would be a catastrophe for all involved,” the bishop said. “We appeal to Pope Francis: we thank him for his prayers and hope he continues to pay attention to the Korean peninsula asking for Korean, Russian, American and Chinese leaders to work seriously for peace.” During his first Easter Sunday message as pontiff on March 31, Pope Francis called for the easing of tensions between North and South Korea, for disagreements to “be overcome” and “a renewed spirit of reconciliation to grow.”