Your Eminence Cardinal You Heung-sik,

Distinguished Guests, 

I am filled with profound reverence as I stand in this holy place, where the spirit and legacy of the Apostle Paul continue to inspire us.

I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Your Eminence and to the officials of the Holy See for arranging this meaningful gathering and for your gracious hospitality.

Distinguished Guests,

Today, our world is confronted by mounting conflict and profound uncertainty.

The sound of gunfire still echoes across Ukraine. 

New violence continues to erupt in the Middle East.

The foundations of cooperation and coexistence are being tested, while division and confrontation cast long shadows across the international community.

The Korean Peninsula is not immune to these realities.

The South and the North, which once spoke together of peace and shared prosperity, have regressed to a time of separation and confrontation.

Channels of dialogue have been severed, and mistrust and tension persist.

Yet the people of the Republic of Korea have never wavered in their faith in peace and democracy. 

Through countless trials and hardships, we have always found the strength to overcome them.

We reclaimed a nation that had been taken from us.

We rebuilt that nation from the ashes of war.

We nurtured democracy through periods of dictatorship and oppression.

And in moments of economic crisis and social turmoil, we illuminated darkness 

not with guns and knives, but with candlelight; 

not with violence, but with peace; 

not with cynicism, but with solidarity.

The Catholic Church in Korea has shared this journey.

Born as a voluntary community of lay believers and tempered through persecution, the Church has stood firmly alongside the Korean people, defending human dignity and advancing peace and solidarity through every trial our society has endured.

Distinguished Guests,

Twenty-six years ago, on the fifteenth of June, the South and the North met face to face for the first time since division and adopted the ‘June 15th South-North Joint Declaration.’

It was a historic milestone that demonstrated to the world the potential of dialogue and cooperation over longstanding confrontation and hostility.

In its wake opened a new door of hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula. 

Families were reunited. 

Humanitarian assistance expanded. 

Exchanges and visits followed.

Even now, I firmly believe that the embers of that hope are still alive.

Since taking office last year, the Government of the Republic of Korea has pursued preemptive measures to ease tensions.

We halted the scattering of leaflets and loudspeaker broadcasts directed toward the North.

We have made clear that we seek neither unification by absorption, nor unilateral competition between systems.

We will continue efforts to prevent accidental military clashes and restore channels of trust.

We are determined to move beyond the current state of armistice toward a sustainable peace regime.

Distinguished Guests,

For decades, the international community has hoped for lasting peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.

And the Republic of Korea, too, has worked steadily to live up to those hopes and that invaluable support.

In this regard, I wish to express my deepest gratitude, together with the Korean people, to the Holy See for its unwavering support and continued attention to the whole process.

At a time when conflict and uncertainty weigh heavily upon humanity, the Republic of Korea now wishes to convey a message of hope.

We possess the strength lit up by democracy.

We possess the dignity of a vibrant culture.

And we possess the promise of a future shaped by science, technology, and innovation.

With these strengths, we will contribute to building a world that is more peaceful and more free - a world in which everyone can live with dignity.

Together with all who share this vision, we will strive to transcend borders and ideologies, race and culture.

Where there is conflict, we will seek reconciliation, where there is distrust, we will foster trust, and where there is division, we will build solidarity.

And we will fulfill our shared responsibility to leave peace as a common inheritance to all humanity.

The book of Isaiah, Chapter 2, Verse 4, tells us:

“They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.”

I ask you to pray together that these precious words may be fulfilled throughout our land.

I sincerely hope that we can create a virtuous cycle in which peace on the Korean Peninsula leads to peace in the world, and the solidarity of the world, in turn, helps secure peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Next year, Seoul will host the World Youth Day.

I am confident that it will be a meaningful opportunity for young people from every corner of the globe to deepen bonds of friendship and embrace the values of peace and solidarity beyond the boundaries of nation, language, and culture.

I look forward to welcoming young people from around the world to Seoul – those who will walk across the constraints of front lines, barbed wire, and borders.

I assure you that the Government of the Republic of Korea, for its part, will spare no effort to render our wholehearted support.

“Take courage! I have overcome the world.”

Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ spoke these words to disciples who were trembling in fear.

I trust that these same words may inspire younger generations with comfort, courage, and hope.

May the prayers we offer together today plant blessed seeds of hope in our hearts, and bear fruit of peace and solidarity throughout the world.

I pray that the grace of God be with all of you.

Thank you for your kind attention.