U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau visited Myeongdong Cathedral in Seoul on the 14th (local time).

In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Deputy Secretary Landau stated, "I was blessed to attend an English mass at the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Seoul. I was impressed by how full the cathedral was with Koreans and foreigners."

He wrote, "During the mass, people came to the altar and placed donations in a basket, which was new to me. This method of donation is not common in the United States."

Deputy Secretary Landau added, "I prayed for the soul of Charlie Kirk and his family, for our country, and for a successful visit to Korea and the Pacific Islands."

This was a tribute to Charlie Kirk, a conservative American influencer who was shot and killed on the 10th, during his visit to Korea.

In U.S. political circles, tributes and condolences for Kirk have continued since his death, and debates about political violence are also intensifying.

Deputy Secretary Landau had previously commented on the Kirk shooting, emphasizing, "Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome in our country."

A State Department spokesperson stated in a release, "Our administration believes that visas should not be issued to individuals whose presence is not in the national security interests of the United States."

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau visits Myeongdong Cathedral Landau's X capture

Yonhap News