ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Campaign for life, using film

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – The campaign for respecting human life, from conception until natural death, in Korean society is being extended to the new forms of mass-media as well. The Catholic Church in Korea has decided to launch a campaign for life through communications instruments such as videos that will be promoted throughout the country.
The culture of the image and video is now dominant, especially among the youth. The words of Pope Benedict XVI in his Message for the World Day of Social Communications 2009, leave no room for doubt as to the urgent need to evangelize through the new media and technologies. With this in mind, the Justice and Peace Commission of the Korean Bishops' Conference and the Commission for Life, of the Archdiocese of Seoul, have decided to contribute funding to the production of several brief films in promotion of life, which will later be shown in parishes, on national television, and on the Internet.
The videos will focus mainly on unborn life, on stories related to abortion and manipulation of embryos, explaining the basis and reasons behind the Church's doctrine in the area of bioethics.
There will be other films that will address euthanasia, the end of life, the death penalty, contributing in the campaign to abolish the death penalty. There will be a special showing of all the films on October 10, 2009, International Day for the Abolition of the Death Penalty.
The Church in Korea continues to reflect and invest resources and attention on bioethical issues, in defense and promotion of human life. In 2008, the Church announced the opening of a International Life Academy to unite eastern Asian forces in this field. The faithful are also working actively to promote a culture of life in the country on a daily basis. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 9/3/2009)