Catholic leaders hope South Korean president will serve poor

Published: 2008-02-26

SEOUL, South Korea (CNS) -- Catholic leaders in South Korea say they hope newly installed President Lee Myung-bak will serve poor and marginalized people as well as work for national unity. Lee was sworn in for a five-year term as the 17th president of South Korea Feb. 25. Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk of Seoul told the Asian church news agency UCA News Feb. 22, "Most of all I hope the president will try to unify and integrate all the people for the country's development. I wish especially that the new government will care for the poor and alienated people, respect the value of life and human rights, and serve the people in humility," he added. The cardinal also said he hoped Lee would be remembered as a president who served and gave hope to the people. Lee was born in 1941 in Osaka, Japan, and came with his family to Korea after World War II. In 1977, he became chief executive of Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co. Lee was a national legislator, 1992-1998, then mayor of Seoul, 2002-2006. He won the presidential election Dec. 19 with 48.7 percent of the vote.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .