Acting President Han sends condolence message over Pope Francis’ death

Acting President Han Duck-soo extended a message of “sincere condolences” over the death of Pope Francis on Monday, paying tribute to the love and solidarity he showed toward humanity.

The bishop of Rome died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican announced.

Sending a message of condolences to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, Han said the South Korean government and its people share the sorrow with Catholics around the world.

“The pope left a message of love and solidarity to humanity through his teaching that we are all brothers and sisters, and dedicated his whole life to the poor and marginalized by living a life of peace and reconciliation,” Han said in the message.

South Korean politicians joined in mourning the pope’s death, vowing to carry forward his lifelong message of compassion for the poor and underprivileged.

“I feel deeply sad about the passing of Pope Francis, who was a friend of the poor and a comforter of the marginalized,” National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik wrote on his Facebook page. “I deeply appreciate his special efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

In a written statement, Hwang Jung-a, a spokesperson for the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), shared messages of sorrow over the pontiff’s death, remembering his lifestyle that was “true to his words,” and always stressed comfort for the weak and marginalized.

Former DP leader Lee Jae-myung said he was deeply saddened by the sudden news.

“I express my deepest condolences. I wish him eternal peace with God,” he said on his Facebook page. He noted the pontiff’s message that politics is “serving the people,” adding that he pledged to act on the pope’s message to work for the socially weak.

The People Power Party (PPP) also extended condolences over the news.

The PPP’s interim leader Kwon Young-se remembered the pontiff’s exemplary actions to promote world peace and listen to the socially weak.

“The life and messages of the pope, who always walked toward people at the lowest point, are a true compass for today’s politics,” former PPP leader Han Dong-hoon, a potential presidential candidate for the party, said. “I will continue walking toward a warmer and more inclusive society.”

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, another potential PPP presidential candidate, recalled the pontiff’s message that politics is “the highest form of charity.”

He added that the message became “the foundation of my life and a guiding a compass for my mission.”