Bishop Augustine Kim Jong-su (70), head of the Diocese of Daejeon, has been elected as the new president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea (CBCK).

During a press conference held at the Catholic Korea Center in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, today (the 22nd), the newly elected president said, "This is a heavy burden for me," adding, "I will do my absolute best to ensure the smooth operation of the Bishops' Conference."

The CBCK is a body of bishops established to jointly coordinate and execute pastoral duties for the promotion of the common good of the entire Korean Church. Its leadership, serving a three-year term, is elected from among diocesan bishops who are members.

Emphasizing that "the Bishops' Conference is a consultative body that gathers discussions necessary for bishops' pastoral work to reach the best conclusions and helps dioceses carry out their pastoral missions smoothly," President Kim also stated, "We will work together across religions to gather good opinions and strive for the common good of our society and the entire country beyond religious boundaries."

With the Seoul World Youth Day (WYD) approaching next year, President Kim noted, "The Bishops' Conference will cooperate and support the event to ensure it proceeds smoothly," adding, "We will support seamless cooperation."

Expressing deep concern over wars taking place around the world, Bishop Kim said, "The Church will continue its appeals and prayers for peace," and added, "We will also continue practical efforts to help those victimized and struggling due to war and other hardships."

Regarding the introduction of abortion pills, against which the Catholic Church has consistently voiced opposition, he emphasized the principle that "human beings do not have the right to intervene in life itself."

Born in Daejeon, Bishop Kim graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Korean History and from the Catholic University of Korea's Department of Theology. He was ordained a priest in 1989 and has served as a professor, dean of students, director of the Catechetical and Theological Institute, and president of Daejeon Catholic University.

He was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Daejeon and ordained a bishop in 2009. After serving as diocesan administrator of Daejeon in 2021, he was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Daejeon in February of the following year.

Within the CBCK, he has served as chairman of the Committee for Evangelization, the Committee for the Liturgy, and the Committee for the Biblical Apostolate. Until recently, he served as chairman of the Committee for Catholic Terminology, chairman of the Special Committee on Sexual Violence within the Church, and vice president.

Bishop John Chrysostom Shin Chul-shin of the Diocese of Incheon was elected as the new vice president, and Archbishop Ok Hyun-jin of the Archdiocese of Gwangju was elected as secretary.

At this autumn plenary assembly of the Bishops' Conference, the "Guidelines Regarding Sexual Violence of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea," prepared by the Special Committee on Sexual Violence within the Church, and the "Order of Mass in Sign Language," prepared by the Catholic Korea Deaf Apostolate Association, were approved.

The Order of Mass in Sign Language is also scheduled to be produced as a mobile application.

Additionally, considering that next year marks the Seoul WYD and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Archdiocese of Pyongyang, the Bishops' Conference announced that all dioceses nationwide and WYD participants will join in a year-long prayer for peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula and around the world, starting from December 8.

(Photo: Yonhap News)