Seoul, South Korea, Sep 12, 2007 / 09:22 am
The Catholic Church in South Korea presented a “Declaration for the Defense of Life” during a recent march in opposition to the government’s position against the dignity of human life.
More than four thousand Catholics and non-Catholics marched the streets during the protest, with a closing Mass celebrated by Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-Suk of Seoul.
The statement calls on the South Korean government “not to authorize the use of human life for industrial purposes,” “to abolish a law on the health of the mother and the child that promotes abortion,” “to prohibit research with human embryos and the practice of cloning,” “to abolish the death penalty” and “to promote policies that encourage couples to have children and that promote natural birth.”
In addition, the Church emphasized in the statement, “We always proclaim the Gospel of life,” “we oppose the death penalty and any form of terrorism and violence,” “we condemn research with human embryos and cloning because they go against human dignity” and “we pledge to defend all forms of human life in every moment.”
The declaration was distributed in parishes, schools, associations, social groups and newspapers.