국내 교회 10/12/22 Korean religious leaders want anti-hatred law..By Stephen Hong, Seoul

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Korean religious leaders want anti-hatred law

Published Date: December 22, 2010

By Stephen Hong, Seoul

Seven religions' representatives of the Korean Council of Religious Leaders were visiting Kyesan Cathedral of Deagu archdiocese in 2007

Representatives of seven religious groups in South Korea have urged the government to introduce legislation against hate crimes to combat and prevent discrimination.

The Korean Council of Religious Leaders (KCRL) decided on the stance during a Dec. 9-16 pilgrimage by seven religious leaders to Christian holy places in Jerusalem and Rome, where they also met Pope Benedict XVI.

In a statement, the leaders noted that “there should not be social discrimination caused by hatred in the fields of race, culture and religion.”

A KCRL official who asked not to be named told ucanews.com that the current multi-cultural, multi-racial and multi-religious situation of Korea had led to the proposal.

The aim is to establish a minimum legal recourse to prevent cultural, ethnic and religious conflicts.

Meanwhile, Francis Park Moon-su, vice-president of the Catholic Academy for Korean Culture, told a recent symposium that South Korea’s cultural geography would change rapidly as a result of the nation’s more than one million immigrants from 50 countries.

“Islam is already the fourth great religion in the country,” Park said, referring to a recent influx of Muslim migrant workers.

“This might cause religious conflict here,” he warned.