Cardinal Cheong grateful for affection shown to late Cardinal Kim

By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, March 6 (Yonhap) -- Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk said Friday that he
was grateful for the enormous outpouring of affection following the death of the
nation's first Roman Catholic cardinal, Stephen Kim Sou-hwan.
Kim, ordained by Pope Paul VI in 1969, died on Feb. 16 at the age of 86, drawing
a crowd of nearly 400,000 mourners coming to pay their last respects at Seoul's
Myeongdong Cathedral. He was regarded as a spiritual leader for Catholics and
non-Catholics alike, and a courageous advocate of democracy during a succession
of South Korean dictators from the 1960s through the 80s.
"I was struck with awe and gratitude for the press for their effort in covering
Cardinal Kim's funeral," Cheong told a group of reporters in his office Friday.
"At the same time, I was concerned that the overwhelming attention toward
Catholicism might trigger unpleasant feelings among the nation's other religious
groups."
"We will interpret the people's affection toward Kim as encouragement for the
Catholic Church to make more contributions to society."
Kim's death leaves Cheong, the archbishop of Seoul, as the only remaining South
Korean cardinal. The 78-year-old cardinal succeeded Kim in 2006.
Pope Benedict XVI paid "exceptional attention" to Cardinal Kim's funeral, Cheong
added, saying the pontiff asked him to lead all the masses during the five-day
memorial service as the pope's proxy. The pope also sent a telegram expressing
condolences on the day Kim passed away despite the eight hour-time difference
between Seoul and Rome, and noted Kim's death in the Italian newsletter
"L'Osservatore Romano" two days later with a large photograph of Kim.
"I think the pope had been preparing for Kim's death ever since his health
deteriorated last year," he said. "It was an unprecedented amount of attention
for which I was overwhelmed and grateful."
Cheong admitted the passing of his benevolent mentor has come as a blow.
"Fully respecting me, the late cardinal would never force or push me toward a
certain path," he said. "But he would drop a hint or two when I asked for his
advice, being a source of comfort, always."
"I feel lost and hollow, and I constantly wonder if I can really do this by
myself," Cheong said. "But I have people praying for me and this gives me
strength."
Cardinal 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 in the traditionally Confucian society of the time. Catholicism was first
introduced to the peninsula in 1784.
Kim was the Archbishop of Seoul from 1968-1998 and also showed a deep reverence
for North Korean churches and their congregations. He was in charge of the
diocese of Pyongyang in North Korea from 1975-1998, although he was never able to
travel to the communist state, which remains technically at war with South Korea.

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 official data.
The late cardinal also donated his eyes to two patients and all his possessions
to the parish, inspiring a "well-dying" campaign throughout the country.
The number of pledged organ donors increased by nearly six-fold following the
cardinal's death, a rare phenomenon in South Korea where less than one out of
every 10 people donate their organs, while more than 18,000 patients are waiting
for transplants.
Speculation has grown here that the pope may name another South Korean cardinal
upon Kim's death. Sparing words, Cardinal Cheong said the issue "wasn't up for
discussion."
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)