S. Koreans mourn death of their first Roman Catholic cardinal

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; UPDATES details of service, citizens' comments in paras 2-9;
ADDS last para)
By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- Braving an early morning cold spell, hundreds of South
Koreans flocked to Seoul's landmark cathedral Tuesday, offering their prayers to
the late Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, the country's first cardinal who stood with the
people in the pro-democracy movement of the 1980s.
"A great man he was. Yet he was always alongside us, not above us," said
42-year-old Catholic faithful Im Mi-jeong as he stood in a long line of people
waiting to enter the Myeongdong Cathedral and pay their last respects. "I will
always remember him by the sacrifices he made for society."
Kim, who was given the title of cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1969, died at Seoul's
St. Mary's Hospital Monday evening at the age of 86. He was said to have died
peacefully, surrounded by family and members of the parish.
Kim's body, dressed in a white robe, was laid in a glass coffin late Monday.
Funeral officials said the church has drawn a crowd of over 2,000 since 6 a.m.
Tuesday, with people hoping to catch a glimpse of the man who was their spiritual
leader for decades. The temperature hit minus 9 C Tuesday morning.
Politicians, including former President Kim Dae-jung and minority opposition
party leader Moon Kook-hyun, visited the cathedral and offered their condolences
Tuesday.
Ex-president Kim, a former opposition leader who was imprisoned as a
pro-communist figure under the dictatorial Park Chung-hee government in the
1970s, called the late cardinal an "inspiration to the country."
President Lee Myung-bak, a Protestant, called the cardinal's death a "great loss
to the nation" on Monday, praising Kim's symbolic role in the country's
democratic and labor movements.
"I am so sad to see him go. Although I am not a Catholic, I wanted to see his
face for one last time," said college student Jeong Jae-young, who was waiting in
the line with two friends. "He was there for the poor and underprivileged people,
and fought for democracy."
"He is someone to remember, not just for Koreans but people everywhere," said
Richard Henderson, an English teacher in Seoul from Canada. "I have been told by
many people that he was a leader and a mentor for the country."
South Koreans remember Kim not only as their first Roman Catholic cardinal but
also as an ardent supporter of democracy who unreservedly stood up against the
authoritarian governments that reigned here from the 1960s through the 80s.
During his sermons, Kim often outspokenly criticized the governments of Park
Chung-hee and Chun Doo-hwan for suppressing student activists and labor unions.
In 1987, he hid dozens of anti-government student activists at the Myeongdong
Cathedral and told authorities who came to arrest them, "You'll be able to get to
the students only after you get past me, the priests and the nuns."
Kim was born to a poor family in the southeastern city of Daegu in 1922 as the
youngest son of eight children. His family's Catholic faith was considered
unusual at the time in the traditionally Confucian society, with Catholicism
being first introduced to the peninsula as late as 1784. Kim's grandfather died
in prison after being persecuted for his religion.
Kim was the Archbishop of Seoul from 1968 until 1998 and also showed devotion to
North Korean churches and their congregations. He established an inter-Korean
religious organization in 1995, in hopes that religious persecution would one day
cease in the North and the two nations would reunify.
The cardinal believed South Korea had a responsibility to provide food aid to the
impoverished North regardless of political circumstances.
The number of Catholics in South Korea increased more than six-fold while Kim was
cardinal, topping 5 million in 2005 out of the country's 48 million people,
according to state data.
Followers of Buddhism, one of Korea's oldest religions, make up about 23 percent
of the population while Christians account for nearly 30 percent.
Kim's death leaves Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk as the only remaining South Korean
cardinal. Cheong succeeded Kim in 2006.
Kim's eyes were donated to two patients awaiting cornea transplants, per his
final wishes.
The late cardinal also donated his entire wealth to the parish and asked not to
receive any floral wreathes to keep the funeral "quiet and simple."
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)