SEOUL – South Korean cardinal Stephen Kim, who used his pulpit as a platform to help bring down the country’s authoritarian leaders, died yesterday at the age of 86, a church official said.
The cardinal, also known as Kim Sou-hwan, was a staunch advocate of human rights and one of the key figures in bringing democracy to a country where the military had ruled for decades.
He became an international figure in 1986 and 1987 when South Koreans took to the streets calling for the end of military rule and free elections.
His redbrick cathedral in central Seoul became a rallying point for protests and he gave refuge to protesters sought by the police.
“He awakened the values of human rights and social justice in the South Korean society, guiding the nation towards democratisation,” said Ro Kil-myung, an expert on religion and a sociology professor at Korea University.
The number of Catholics in South Korea increased more than sixfold while Kim was cardinal, reaching 5.1 million in 2005 among a population of about 49 million. – (Reuters)