Korean Catholics commemorate the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Korean War by gathering in Seoul to pray for peace and reconciliation across the divided peninsula

Even after 75 years, the Korean War casts a long shadow.

While much of the world has moved on, Koreans — both North and South — remain separated by more than just a heavily fortified border.

And as the war’s grim anniversary approached, thousands of South Korean Catholics gathered to do what they’ve done every year since the guns fell silent: pray for peace.

Gathering in Seoul for a Moment of Reflection

On the Sunday before June 25 — the date the war began back in 1950 — over 1,000 Catholics filled Myeongdong Cathedral in central Seoul. This wasn’t just any service.

It was the central Mass for the annual Day of Prayer for the Reconciliation and Unity of the Korean People.

Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick, who leads the Archdiocese of Seoul and also serves as apostolic administrator for Pyongyang, delivered a powerful homily.

He reminded the faithful of the deep-rooted hostility that has simmered between the North and South for decades and urged the Church to be a voice for unity.

“We’ve let this division nurture hate for too long,” he said.

“Now it’s time for every one of us to stand in solidarity and renew our prayers for our brothers and sisters in North Korea.”

Prayers, Masses, and a Longing for Unity

The lead-up to this year’s anniversary wasn’t just about one Mass.

Catholics across South Korea observed a nine-day novena — a traditional period of focused prayer — asking for healing between the North and South.

In fact, every Tuesday night, Myeongdong Cathedral holds a dedicated Mass for Korean reconciliation.

The one held just before the anniversary was the 1,468th — a staggering sign of just how committed the Church is to this mission.

A Peninsula Marked by Stark Contrasts

The roots of Korea’s division go back to the aftermath of World War II, when the country was split along the 38th parallel.

Today, the differences between North and South Korea couldn’t be more stark.

The North remains one of the most closed and repressive regimes in the world, where freedom of religion is virtually nonexistent.

According to a 2024 Human Rights Watch report, North Korea has become even more isolated since the pandemic, with borders sealed and defectors blocked from escaping.

Meanwhile, South Korea has undergone a remarkable transformation — known as the “Miracle on the Han River.”

Once devastated by war, the South has risen to become one of the world’s top economies, and the Catholic Church has grown too.

From just half a million faithful in the 1960s, the Catholic population has ballooned to nearly 6 million today.

The Church’s Mission for Reconciliation

Bishop Simon Kim Joo-young of Chuncheon, who chairs the Korean bishops’ Committee for Reconciliation, emphasized that the mission for peace must be rooted in faith.

“After 80 years of division, we have to overcome our conflicts by leaning on Christ’s resurrection,” he said, speaking to Church-run media outlet Fides.

That sentiment was echoed during a special symposium held alongside the Mass.

Laypeople and religious gathered to reflect not just on the history of the war, but on the role the Church must play in shaping Korea’s future.

A Glimpse Into North Korea’s Christian Past

What many may not know is that Pyongyang was once called the “Jerusalem of the East.”

Back in 1945, before the Korean War, tens of thousands of Christians lived there — including about 50,000 Catholics and over 100,000 Protestants.

Sadly, the war and the communist regime that followed wiped out most of this religious presence.

Many priests and nuns were arrested, killed, or disappeared.

The Church is currently pursuing sainthood for 40 martyrs from Tokwon Abbey who died at the hands of the regime.

Today, North Korea has a state-run “Catholic” association, not recognized by the Vatican, with no real clergy and strict government oversight.

Still, hope flickers: some North Korean defectors discover the Catholic faith after resettling in the South.

Signs of Hope Amid Growing Tensions

In recent years, relations between North and South Korea have worsened.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un declared in 2024 that he would officially abandon the idea of peaceful reunification and labeled the South a “principal enemy.”

That same year, Pyongyang sent balloons full of trash over the border in retaliation for South Korean activist leaflets.

Bishop Kim described the situation as “an emotional civil war” built on decades of mistrust and ideological rifts.

But Archbishop Chung noted a slight thaw just this month.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who took office in June, halted the loudspeaker broadcasts near the border and asked activists to stop sending balloons.

In response, North Korea stopped its own broadcasts.

“It was a small but powerful change,” the archbishop said.

“And maybe, just maybe, it’s the start of something better.”

Looking to the Future and the Next Generation

Father Chung Soo-yang, vice chair of the bishops’ reconciliation committee, said it’s time for younger Koreans to step up.

With World Youth Day 2027 set to be hosted in Seoul, there’s hope that a new generation can lead the way toward peace.

“In a world torn by conflicts like Russia and Ukraine or Israel and Iran, our peninsula needs to be a beacon,” he said.

“We’ve been divided for too long. It’s time we laid a true foundation for peace.”