South Korean Catholics joined Masses and street protests to oppose government plans to construct new nuclear power plants to meet energy demands, terming the move risky and misguided. Source: UCA News.
Catholic environmental groups, including diocesan ecological commissions, Catholic Climate Action and the Catholic Alliance for Conservation of Creation, organised a series of programs in various dioceses, including the Seoul Archdiocese.
The groups organised a street Mass for hundreds of participants at Bosingak, in the capital Seoul, on June 27.
It was concelebrated by Fr Paul Moon Kyu-hyun, a senior priest from the Diocese of Jeonju, Fr Stephen Yang Ki-seok, secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Ecology and Environment, and Jesuit Fr Francis Kim Jeong-dae.
During the sermon, Fr Yang criticised the government’s continuation of the nuclear power policy despite well-known risks.
He urged Catholics to become “ecological apostles” in the transition to a nuclear-free society.
Following the Mass, the participants marched on the streets chanting slogans.
Earlier, on June 22, the Andong Diocese Social Pastoral Council organised a “Mass for Life and Peace for a Nuclear-Free World” at Yeongdeok Cathedral.
Fr Peter Kim Si-yeong, chairman of the Andong Diocese Ecology and Environment Committee, presided over the Mass and criticised the government’s push for nuclear plants.
During the Mass, the Social Pastoral Council released a statement criticising the administration of President Lee Jae-myung for continuing nuclear power plants instead of phasing them out.
The Church’s actions against nuclear power plants came after state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power selected Yeongdeok-gun in North Gyeongsang Province and Gijang-gun in Busan as sites for nuclear facilities.
Church leaders and environmental activists slammed what they called the hasty site-selection process.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, South Korea has 26 active nuclear power plants, with two more, Saeul-3 and Saeul-4, under construction.
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Korean Catholics pray, protest against new nuclear power plants (Catholic Times of Korea via UCA News)
