Culture minister Yu In-chon delivers a congratulatory speech during a Mass held at the Lateran Basilica in Rome on Dec. 11, 2023, to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between South Korea and the Vatican. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
ROME, Dec. 12 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s culture ministry will continue to work with the Vatican to utilize culture as a bridge for world peace and harmony, Seoul’s culture minister has said, as the two countries celebrate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic ties.
Yu In-chon made the remarks during a Mass held in Rome on Monday (Italian time) to mark the anniversary. The Korean Catholic Church also held its side of the commemorative Mass the same day in Seoul.
He attended the Rome Mass led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, as the top South Korean government delegate, wearing the traditional Korean outfit of hanbok.
“On this day 60 years ago, the two countries formally established their diplomatic ties,” Yu said in his congratulatory speech to the Mass at the Lateran Basilica in Rome. “The relationship between the countries has made remarkable progress since then, based on mutual trust and friendship.”
Noting that culture plays a role in healing social conflicts and embracing the marginalized, he pledged his ministry’s best effort “to achieve peace and harmony among peoples of the two countries and among the world’s people, through culture, combining forces with the Holy See.”
Presiding over the Mass, Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressed hope for further cooperation between the Catholic Church and South Korea in the face of “current and future hopes and uncertainties.”
“The Vatican once again emphasizes that it is truly together with the Korean people in their aspirations for reconciliation and reunification (of the Korean Peninsula),” he said. “We want to continue to walk with our beloved Korean people, share their aspirations, and provide sincere cooperation and support for the common good.”
Before the Mass, Yu had about 20 minutes of conversation with the cardinal to discuss ways to promote cultural cooperation between South Korea and the Vatican.
South Korea and the Vatican formally established a diplomatic relationship in 1963. Since then, the two countries have maintained a close relationship, with former Pope John Paul II visiting South Korea in 1984 and 1989. Pope Francis also visited Seoul in 2014.
(Yonhap)
