ID :
45947
Mon, 02/16/2009 - 22:33
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Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/45947
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(3rd LD) South Korea's first cardinal, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, passes away
SEOUL, Feb. 16 (Yonhap) -- Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, South Korea's first Roman Catholic cardinal and an active supporter of the underprivileged, passed away Monday at the age of 86.
Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul said the cardinal passed away at 6:12 p.m.
Widely respected as the country's spiritual leader, even among non-Catholics,
Cardinal Kim had been suffering from pneumonia and complications for several
months and was hospitalized in July last year. He had fallen into brief comas
several times.
President Lee Myung-bak, who is expected to pay his respects very soon, expressed
condolences, saying Kim's death is a great loss for the country.
"Our loss of Cardinal Kim, who more than fulfilled his role as the country's
elder every time the country faced a difficulty through its industrialization and
democratization, means a great loss for the nation," Lee was quoted as saying by
his spokesman, Lee Dong-kwan.
The hospital said he died a peaceful death.
"The late cardinal suffered from weak lung function, but would not have been in
too much pain until death," his physician Chung In-sik said. "His last words
were, 'Thank you' to the doctors and the people of the parish."
Later in the day, the country's second cardinal, Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, issued
a condolence message saying, "Cardinal Kim never lost his smile or humanity to
the last moment ... The message Cardinal Kim cried out to the world until his
last moment was love for humans and and Christ's peace and reconciliation."
The Venerable Jikwan, head of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, also expressed
deep condolences, saying his lifetime effort to alleviate the burden of
neighbors' suffering would be realized in overall society.
All political parties issued comments on Kim's death.
"We've achieved democratization because of the courage and effort shown by
Cardinal Kim, who devoted himself to human rights under difficult situations,"
Rep. Cho Yoon-sun, a spokesperson of the ruling Grand National Party, said.
"We'll do our utmost to make a world full of love and peace by inheriting
Cardinal Kim's lofty spirit as a spokesman for conscience," Rep. Kim Yoo-jung, a
spokesperson of the main opposition Democratic Party, said.
"Cardinal Kim was the person whom people in other religions could also revere. I
think the spirit of engagement he showed is the symbol of religionists," Joo
Jin-hyung, a resident in Seoul, said.
"He was the very person who showed us the way to go," another Seoul resident, Lee
Sun-chul said.
Kim's funeral service will be held at the Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on
Friday, with the head of the Seoul Archbishopric to manage them, a cathedral
official said.
Major broadcasters, including KBS, MBC and SBS, said they will televise the
service live.
Meanwhile, Kim's eyes were extracted for donation upon his death at the hospital
to follow up on his earlier promise.
Kim was promoted to the rank of Cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1969 at the age of 46
as the youngest of 134 College of Cardinals at that time. Having become the
Archbishop of Seoul in 1968, Kim received the Mugunghwa medal in 1970 and
participated in the two conclaves of 1978. He retired as the archbishop of Seoul
in 1998.
Born in Daegu as the youngest son of eight children, Kim spent his childhood in
poverty. His family's Catholic faith was unusual in the traditionally Confucian
country of the times.
Kim attended high school in Seoul and studied philosophy at Sophia University in
Tokyo and at the Catholic University of Korea from 1947-1951. He later traveled
to Germany to study sociology at Munster University from 1956-1963.
Kim also took an active part in social and democracy issues, opposing the violent
suppression of labor unions and the layoff of union members during the 1960s and
the 70s.
Kim was also a devoted lover of North Korean churches and their faithfuls,
establishing a religious organization in 1995 that prepared for the unification
of the two Koreas.
Beneath his benevolent appearance, Cardinal Kim was an active man who enjoyed
sports and historical TV dramas, acquaintances said.
Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk succeeded Kim as Korea's second cardinal in 2006.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul said the cardinal passed away at 6:12 p.m.
Widely respected as the country's spiritual leader, even among non-Catholics,
Cardinal Kim had been suffering from pneumonia and complications for several
months and was hospitalized in July last year. He had fallen into brief comas
several times.
President Lee Myung-bak, who is expected to pay his respects very soon, expressed
condolences, saying Kim's death is a great loss for the country.
"Our loss of Cardinal Kim, who more than fulfilled his role as the country's
elder every time the country faced a difficulty through its industrialization and
democratization, means a great loss for the nation," Lee was quoted as saying by
his spokesman, Lee Dong-kwan.
The hospital said he died a peaceful death.
"The late cardinal suffered from weak lung function, but would not have been in
too much pain until death," his physician Chung In-sik said. "His last words
were, 'Thank you' to the doctors and the people of the parish."
Later in the day, the country's second cardinal, Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, issued
a condolence message saying, "Cardinal Kim never lost his smile or humanity to
the last moment ... The message Cardinal Kim cried out to the world until his
last moment was love for humans and and Christ's peace and reconciliation."
The Venerable Jikwan, head of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, also expressed
deep condolences, saying his lifetime effort to alleviate the burden of
neighbors' suffering would be realized in overall society.
All political parties issued comments on Kim's death.
"We've achieved democratization because of the courage and effort shown by
Cardinal Kim, who devoted himself to human rights under difficult situations,"
Rep. Cho Yoon-sun, a spokesperson of the ruling Grand National Party, said.
"We'll do our utmost to make a world full of love and peace by inheriting
Cardinal Kim's lofty spirit as a spokesman for conscience," Rep. Kim Yoo-jung, a
spokesperson of the main opposition Democratic Party, said.
"Cardinal Kim was the person whom people in other religions could also revere. I
think the spirit of engagement he showed is the symbol of religionists," Joo
Jin-hyung, a resident in Seoul, said.
"He was the very person who showed us the way to go," another Seoul resident, Lee
Sun-chul said.
Kim's funeral service will be held at the Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on
Friday, with the head of the Seoul Archbishopric to manage them, a cathedral
official said.
Major broadcasters, including KBS, MBC and SBS, said they will televise the
service live.
Meanwhile, Kim's eyes were extracted for donation upon his death at the hospital
to follow up on his earlier promise.
Kim was promoted to the rank of Cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1969 at the age of 46
as the youngest of 134 College of Cardinals at that time. Having become the
Archbishop of Seoul in 1968, Kim received the Mugunghwa medal in 1970 and
participated in the two conclaves of 1978. He retired as the archbishop of Seoul
in 1998.
Born in Daegu as the youngest son of eight children, Kim spent his childhood in
poverty. His family's Catholic faith was unusual in the traditionally Confucian
country of the times.
Kim attended high school in Seoul and studied philosophy at Sophia University in
Tokyo and at the Catholic University of Korea from 1947-1951. He later traveled
to Germany to study sociology at Munster University from 1956-1963.
Kim also took an active part in social and democracy issues, opposing the violent
suppression of labor unions and the layoff of union members during the 1960s and
the 70s.
Kim was also a devoted lover of North Korean churches and their faithfuls,
establishing a religious organization in 1995 that prepared for the unification
of the two Koreas.
Beneath his benevolent appearance, Cardinal Kim was an active man who enjoyed
sports and historical TV dramas, acquaintances said.
Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk succeeded Kim as Korea's second cardinal in 2006.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)
