ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Chinese religious leaders visit Catholic community

Seoul (Agenzia Fides) – A delegation of religious leaders from mainland China, Chinese members of the Commission "Religions and Peace," in recent days paid a visit to the Korean Catholic community, stopping to visit the Shrine of the Martyrs Jeoldusan, in Seoul.
The delegation - composed of members of different religious communities: Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Taoist and Islamic - have had occasion to speak about the role of religion for social harmony and peace in every country and deepen in their knowledge of the Catholic Church in Korea.
Bishop Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, Auxiliary Bishop of Kwangju, President of the Episcopal Commission for the Promotion of Christian Unity and Interreligious Dialogue, welcomed the Chinese religious leaders, explaining how the Church in Korea is an important institution in terms of religious, social, and civil life, and that it constitutes a moral reference point for the entire population on the Korean peninsula.
The Bishop also expressed his hopes that events characterized by dialogue and sharing, such as that experienced, can multiply and maintain the link between China and Korea. "When religious leaders come together, it is not just a meeting of friendship, but there is much more. There is the desire and the will to build peace, starting with one's own territory. And without peace in Asia, peace in the world is not possible."
The visit of the Chinese religious leaders reciprocates the one carried out in China in 2007, by a delegation of religious leaders in Korea. The meetings are intended to promote exchange, dialogue, mutual understanding, and peace. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 4/12/2009)