Chung, who serves as the chair of the local organizing committee for WYD Seoul 2027, marked the official start of preparations with this declaration alongside two young Korean delegates.
Gleison De Paula Souza, secretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, also discussed Seoul’s rich cultural history and selection as the host city for WYD.
Additionally, a research team conducted by the KDI School of Public Policy and Management’s Professor Taejun Lee presented an analysis forecasting the economic impact of WYD Seoul 2027. Among the projections of trillions of dollars expected to be generated from the event, it is forecast that 24,725 jobs will also be created related to World Youth Day 2027, according to LiCAS News.
The ceremony’s concluding Mass, which included a universal prayer said in multiple languages, was celebrated by Chung alongside Cardinal Andrew Soo-jung Yeom, Bishop Paul Kyung-sang Lee, Bishop Titus Sang-Bum Seo, and Bishop Job Yo-bi Koo.
In his homily, Chung shared his aspiration that the Church “offer a platform for the youth of our time — a stage where they can emerge as the protagonists of their own narratives.”
“I believe that WYD represents an invaluable opportunity for youth from across the globe, including our Korean youth, to reflect upon and engage with these challenging tasks,” he continued. “It is imperative that we unite our hearts, pray together, and discern the guidance of the Holy Spirit as we earnestly prepare for this journey.”
According to its website, World Youth Day is a “worldwide encounter with the pope” that occurs every three years in a different country, serving as “an opportunity to share with the whole world the hopes of many young people who are committing their lives to Christ and his Church.”
At last year’s WYD in Lisbon, Portugal, an estimated 1.5 million people attended the event’s closing Mass, in which Pope Francis was the main celebrant alongside 10,000 priests and 700 bishops concelebrating.
Since then, the Archdiocese of Seoul has estimated that between 700,000 and 1 million pilgrims, including 300,000 from overseas, will attend World Youth Day 2027, the first WYD to take place on mainland east Asia.
