I was sad to hear the news of the death of the former Archbishop of Seoul, Cardinal Nicholas Chong Jin-su In 2005, under his leadership, Seoul Archdiocese launched the Committee for Life after a Korean scientist caused outrage after claiming that he had cloned human embryos from stem cells. Cardinal Cheong insisted that human beings “should not mistake themselves for owners of the world.”
During a visit to South Korea I was privileged to receive the Korean Mystery of Life Award from Cardinal Cheong.
He told me that he was pleased that I had been able to travel into North Korea – as although it came under his jurisdiction he had never been allowed to go across the border.
It was his fervent hope that one day the north would enjoy the freedoms of South Korea and that a united Korea would always place human dignity and the sanctity of human life above all other considerations.
