Pope to meet Korean religious leaders to bring harmony among religious communities

Six South Korean religious leaders, including the Executive Chief of the Jogye Order, Venerable Wonhaeng, will meet Pope Francis at the Vatican City this month to discuss the way to establish and maintain harmony between religious communities. 

The Korea Council of Religious Leaders on August 31 announced that a pilgrimage group will visit Jerusalem, Israel, and the Vatican between September 13 and September 21. 

South Korea's Korean Council of Religious Leaders is an organization of seven religious orders, including Buddhists, Won Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants, Cheondoists, Confucians, and Korean National Religious Associations. 

Wonhaeng will serve as chair of the group while on pilgrimage, and the seven religious leaders will visit the Vatican and meet Pope Francis on September 19. 

Overseas pilgrimages are organized by the Korean Council of Religious Leaders every two to three years to further understanding and dialogue among religions. 

It is organized by Catholics this year and Wonhaeng, Catholic Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-jong, the temporary chairman of the Christian Council of Korea Kim Hyun-Seong, the head of Won Buddhism, Na Sang-ho, the leader of Sunggyungwan of Confucianism, Son Jin-woo, and Park Sang-jong, as well as Kim Ryung-ha, the head of the Association of Korean National Religions. 

Archbishop Hyginus of Gwangju, South Korea suggested that the Korean Council of Religious Leaders visit the Vatican during its visit to Honam in April. 

A visit by Pope Francis to South Korea in 2014 brought him into contact with 12 South Korean religious leaders, including Jaseung, the Executive Chief Venerable of the Jogye Order, and Kim Young-Joo, the Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Korea. 

Korea's Council of Religious Leaders will meet with the pope for the third time during the meeting. 

A meeting with Pope Benedict XVI was held in 2010, and a meeting with Pope Francis was held in 2017.