Leo XIV received the new Korean ambassador to the Holy See, Hyung Sik Shin, on the occasion of the presentation of his credentials on December 19, 2025. The 65-year-old South Korean diplomat is a specialist in democracy issues. He will be one of the figures involved in preparing for the papal visit to South Korea scheduled for 2027 as part of World Youth Day.
<em>The Asian country’s representative, deeply committed to promoting democracy in Asia, will be involved in preparations for World Youth Day in Seoul in 2027.</em>
Born on August 6, 1960, Hyung Sik Shin is married and has two children. After studying sociology, he obtained a doctorate in political science from Kyonggi University in Seoul. He held various positions of responsibility within the Korea Democracy Foundation from 2008 to 2016.
The Korean ambassador has also served as secretary general of the Asia Democracy Network and professor in the Department of Regional International Studies at Pukyong National University, as well as director of the Institute for Popular Sovereignty. And in all these positions, Hyung Sik Shin has worked in the process of reconciliation between North and South Korea.
His mission to the Holy See
In his mission to the Holy See, the diplomat will play a role in preparing for the Pope's trip to his country. The World Youth Day (WYD)–the name given to the triennial gathering of young Catholics around the Pope–is scheduled to take place in Seoul in August 2027.
Hyung Sik Shin mentioned this event in an interview with European News Agency upon arriving at his post. He said that the Pope's visit would be “decisive in expanding the impact of his message of peace throughout Northeast Asia.” In another interview with the Ucanews agency, he expressed the hope that Leo XIV would be able to visit North Korea and meet with young people there, on the sidelines of the WYD celebrations.
Thomas COEX / AFP
The ambassador listed issues of common interest to the Holy See and Korea, “such as climate change, digital ethics, and artificial intelligence,” which could lead to “joint collaboration.” He emphasized the “pivotal” role of Catholic priests “in Korea’s democratization process during the military dictatorships of the 1970s and 1980s,” despite “imprisonment and torture.”
According to data from the US CIA, Catholics now represent 6% of the largely agnostic Korean population. The country was visited by Pope Francis in 2014 and by John Paul II in 1984 and 1989.
