SPOTLIGHT 25/09/03 Proposed Korean law supporting World Youth Day, draws fire

[성기화 요셉]

It threatens to violate religious neutrality and institutionalize a preference for a particular religion, critics say

The sign of World Youth Day (WYD), a global Catholic event founded in 1985 and usually held every three years, is displayed as Seoul prepares to host WYD 2027 at Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on March 16. (Photo: AFP)

By UCA News Reporter

Published: September 12, 2025 08:31 AM GMT

Updated: September 12, 2025 08:43 AM GMT

South Korea’s move to enact a special law to support hosting the Vatican-initiated World Youth Day in Seoul has become contentious with public criticisms, which a Church official said stems from misunderstandings.

The government proposed a special law to help it allocate public funds for organizing safety measures, infrastructure, and public services, but critics viewed it as a proposal to allocate money to help a Church program, Church officials said.

The Special Act on Supporting World Youth Day Seoul 2027 has been pending in South Korea's National Assembly since November last year. It aims to provide a legal framework for supporting the global youth event, officials said.

The event — scheduled for August 2027 — is expected to draw about one million young people, 400,000 of them from abroad. Pope Leo XIV is also to attend the program as a state guest.

The event “is not just a religious celebration but also a national and international event open to all youth, transcending religious boundaries,” Father Joseph Young-je Lee, one of the organizers, told UCA News on Sept. 11.

Lee issued a written clarification to UCA News in response to concerns raised about the law at the Sept. 3 public meeting. 

The Interreligious Reform Civil Coalition (IRCC) hosted the event for civil society groups and representatives of various religions, seeking public accountability, financial transparency, and harmony among diverse faiths as Korea prepares to host the international Catholic event for the first time.

Speakers at the meeting said that the special law will enable the federal and local governments to mobilize budgets and administrative resources, and it could even compel public institutions and private companies to support the event, raising concerns about forced financial donations.

The proposed law is “violating the principle of religious neutrality enshrined in the constitution,” and the move could “institutionalize preferential treatment for a particular religion,” according to Park Kwang-jae, secretary general of the interreligious coalition.

However, Lee clarified that public funds will be allocated “solely for public purposes — such as safety measures, infrastructure, and public services — benefiting all citizens and visitors alike” and not to aid any Catholic activity.

The presence of the pope “carries the character of a state visit, requiring thorough preparation at the level of international diplomacy and national protocol,” he said, indicating that the Church cannot organize the security for a state guest.

Lee said, “Under no circumstances would the special law compel private enterprises or individuals to provide financial contributions.

“We are committed to upholding the highest standards of financial transparency, administering all resources in full compliance with law and principle. The archdiocese will never accept privileges, nor will it utilize state facilities or budgets for purposes exclusive to the Catholic Church,” he said.

The Church is aware of the “multi-religious” character of Korean society and “is fully mindful of the importance of collaboration [needed] with other faith traditions and civil society” for the international event, Lee said.

Lee said Catholic officials were invited to the Sept. 3 meeting, but he couldn’t attend due to a “scheduling conflict.”

Investigative journalist Hwang Il-song, in his keynote presentation, said the bill is a “typical case of religious lobbying materializing into legislation.” At least 57 of the 59 lawmakers sponsoring the bill are Catholics, he said.

Hwang said that the legislation gained momentum after Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul presided over two Masses in the National Assembly attended by Catholic lawmakers, and where he also requested legislative support for the event.