Pope to Visit Korea Early August 2027 for WYD, Expresses Hope to Meet North Korean Youth (Comprehensive)

Olympic Park Under Consideration for Farewell Mass… Parade at Sangam Stadium or Gwanghwamun Square

Fourth Papal Visit to Korea… First to Divided Nation, Focus on Peace Message for Korean Peninsula

Up to 1 Million Attendees Expected, Economic Impact of 3 Trillion KRW Projected… "A Festival to Share Korean Culture"

Pope Leo XIV [AFP=Yonhap News Photo]

Olympic Park is among the venues being considered for the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day (WYD), an event that will welcome Pope Leo XIV to Korea.

Following his arrival, the Pope is expected to meet with faithful and citizens through a parade at Sangam World Cup Stadium or Gwanghwamun Square.

Pope Leo XIV has visited Korea five times previously as the superior general of the Order of Saint Augustine. This will be his first visit as Pope in 2027. He will be the fourth Pope to visit Korea, following Pope John Paul II (1984, 1989) and Pope Francis (2014).

It has been reported that Pope Leo XIV also expressed his desire to meet North Korean youth during this event, drawing attention to whether WYD could serve as a catalyst for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

The Seoul WYD Organizing Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Organizing Committee) announced the basic plan for the Seoul WYD, scheduled to take place for 10 nights and 11 days from July 29 to August 8, 2027, including proposed main event venues, at a briefing held at the Omniverse Park Convention Hall at the Catholic University of Korea, Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the 27th.

World Youth Day held in Panama City, Panama in 2019 [AFP=Yonhap News Photo]

WYD, an event where the Pope visits countries to meet young people, was formally established in the year following the 1985 designation of 'World Youth Day' by Pope John Paul II during his pontificate.

The 2027 WYD will be held under the theme "Take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:29) and will focus on the overarching themes of Truth, Love, and Peace. Events from July 29 to August 2 will consist of diocesan gatherings across 15 Catholic dioceses, while the main events from August 3 to 8 will be held across Seoul.

The overnight vigil (August 7) and the farewell Mass (August 8), which will mark the culmination of WYD, are currently being considered for venues at Olympic Park or Yeouido Hangang Park.

The overnight vigil will bring together registered and unregistered participants, Catholics, and non-Catholics interested in the event. The farewell Mass will be presided over by the Pope himself, who will bless the youth from around the world. The announcement of the next WYD host city will also attract global attention.

The Organizing Committee is reviewing plans to hold the opening Mass (August 3) and the Papal welcome ceremony (August 5) at Sangam World Cup Stadium and Gwanghwamun Square.

Pope Francis waving (2014) (Seoul=Yonhap News) Pope Francis waves to citizens near Euljiro 1-ga Station while heading to the Apostolic Nunciature in Jeong-dong after arriving at Seoul Air Base on the morning of August 14, 2014. [File Photo]

The opening Mass is a service presided over by the Archbishop of Seoul, representing the college of cardinals and bishops, and officially inaugurates the Seoul WYD main event. It is also a festival showcasing various performances that highlight the history and culture of the host country, Korea.

Pope Leo XIV will meet the youth for the first time at the Papal welcome ceremony upon his arrival in Korea. The welcome will involve a parade, flag procession, and cultural performances by the host country to greet the successor of St. Peter. Attendees are expected to hear the Pope's first message in Korea at this event.

Based on the precedent of the Pope attending a welcome ceremony on the day of arrival, his visit is tentatively scheduled around August 5. The specific itinerary will be announced by the Vatican at a later date.

The Organizing Committee anticipates an attendance of 200,000 to 500,000 for the opening Mass and 700,000 to 1 million for the farewell Mass at the 2027 Seoul WYD.

The final decision on each event venue will be made after comprehensive consideration of factors such as capacity, geographical accessibility, security and safety, utilization of existing infrastructure, and environmental elements, in consultation with the Vatican and relevant authorities.

However, Bishop Lee Gyeong-sang, the overall coordinator of the Organizing Committee, expressed that considering the surrounding facilities and measures for heatwaves, Olympic Park appears to be a more likely venue for the farewell Mass than Yeouido.

Crowd at World Youth Day 2023 (Lisbon AFP=Yonhap News) Visitors gather at Tejo Park in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, on August 6, 2023 (local time) ahead of a Mass during the World Youth Day. [File Photo]

The Organizing Committee highlighted the significance of the 2027 event being held in a divided nation for the first time in WYD history and Pope Leo XIV's first visit to Korea as Pope.

The Pope is expected to pray for peace on the Korean Peninsula with young people from around the world and deliver a message of peace to the world. He is also expected to encourage young people facing numerous difficulties in a rapidly changing society.

In this regard, Archbishop Jeong Soon-taek, the chairman of the Organizing Committee, explained the contemporary relevance of the theme scripture: "Amidst the flames of war raging across the globe, facing the immense challenges of climate crisis and economic inequality, and in the midst of wandering due to spiritual isolation and social disconnection, the Lord says to the youth of this era, 'Take heart.'"

Bishop Lee Gyeong-sang specifically stated, "The Pope has envisioned this as a symbolic event where young people from all over the world pray together for peace on the Korean Peninsula and deliver a message of peace to the world. He expressed a desire to invite North Korean youth if possible, or to invite North Korean defected youth and meet them." 

Logo for World Youth Day 2027 [Provided by Seoul WYD Organizing Committee. Redistribution and DB prohibited]

It is also noteworthy that Seoul, South Korea, a non-Christian nation where various religions coexist, will be the second Asian city to host WYD, following Manila, Philippines, in 1995. The Organizing Committee anticipates that the Seoul WYD will serve as an opportunity to practice an open attitude towards different religions and showcase the growth of the Asian community.

The Organizing Committee explained that for safety management during the event, police officers, firefighters, medical personnel, security guards, and volunteers will undergo prior training, and joint mock drills will be conducted repeatedly to prepare for any contingencies.

Furthermore, in cooperation with the government and local governments, counter-terrorism safety measures will be established, and a collaborative system will be built with relevant agencies. To prepare for potential heatwaves during the event, mobile air conditioners, cooling fans, shaded rest areas, and mist cooling systems will be available, along with supplies of cold water, electrolyte drinks, and ice.

Pope Leo XIV [Reuters=Yonhap News Photo]

Pilgrims from overseas will stay in homestays or at Catholic Church facilities, schools, gymnasiums, public institutions, or facilities of other religions. Major figures such as the disabled, volunteers, and cardinals will use hotels or dedicated accommodations. Pope Leo XIV will reside at the Apostolic Nunciature in Korea, which is currently undergoing reconstruction.

During the diocesan gatherings, participants will interact with the faithful in various regions and experience Korean culture, and will experience community living through homestays. The main event will consist of six core programs: the opening Mass, the Papal welcome ceremony, the youth festival, the Catechesis and Holy Triduum, the Way of the Cross, the overnight vigil, and the farewell Mass.

The Seoul WYD is expected to generate a production-inducing effect of 2.07 trillion to 3.15 trillion KRW, with an estimated 1 million attendees. The value-added inducement effect is projected to be between 910 billion and 1.37 trillion KRW, and the employment inducement effect is estimated at 11,000 to 16,000 jobs. The Organizing Committee is pursuing the enactment of a special law through communication with the legislative and political sectors to ensure the smooth progress of the Seoul WYD. Yonhap News