Korean bishops elect new president, approve guidelines on sexual violence

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea elected new leadership and approved new guidelines during a plenary assembly in Seoul from Oct. 19 to 21.

Bishop Augustine Kim Jong-su of Daejeon was elected president for a three-year term. Bishop John Baptist Jung Shin-chul of Incheon was elected vice president, and Archbishop Simon Ok Hyun-jin of Gwangju was elected secretary.

The bishops approved guidelines regarding sexual violence in the Church, which were drafted by a special committee chaired by Bishop Kim. The assembly also approved a sign-language Order of Mass and a question-and-answer guide on artificial intelligence. Additionally, the bishops requested that all dioceses participate in a year of prayer for peace on the Korean Peninsula beginning Dec. 8, leading up to World Youth Day Seoul 2027.