A woman walks past a television news screen at a railway station in Seoul on Aug.15 showing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un receiving a briefing. (Photo by Jung Yeon-Je/AFP)
As tension mounts between North Korea and the United States, Korean bishops have appealed for peace on the peninsula.
The Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People and the Committee for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea jointly released the statement titled 'Let's us walk in the light of the Lord!' on Aug. 15, the 72th anniversary of Korea's Independence.
"Peace on the Korean peninsula is like a counter-weight for global peace," said the statement. "The present situation on the Korean peninsula calls for our conscience and intellect through which we should try to cope with it together in solidarity and compassion, cooperation and respect," it said.
"Let us not ignore this situation in indifference and silence. Especially we appeal to all those who are called to be partners in God's creation. Let us join in prayer and action to make a 'swords-into-plowshares' change on the Korean Peninsula and other areas of conflict," it added.
The bishops conference committees denounced a recent missile test by North Korea and opposed all actions that increase tensions on the peninsula.
"We appeal to leaders of South and North Korea to engage in dialogue for the sake of peace and, by cooperation with the neighboring countries, to strive to provide an institutional strategy ensuring peace on the Korean peninsula," it said.