Pope Francis announced the next venue for World Youth Day (WYD): Seoul, South Korea, in 2027. The Holy Father stressed that before, in 2025, he hopes to join “with the youth of the whole world” in Rome (Italy) “to celebrate together the Jubilee of Youth.”
“And the next World Youth Day will take place in Asia: it will be in South Korea, in Seoul! And so, in 2027 from the western border of Europe, it will move to the Far East: And this is a beautiful sign of the universality of the Church and of the dream of unity that you are witnesses! ”, he expressed.
In South Korea, a country of 52.6 million people with a majority that declares itself non-religious, Catholics represent around 11% of the population. According to the Vatican agency Fides, there are 5,703 priests and 1,784 parishes in the country.
Pope Francis has already visited South Korea on an apostolic journey, from August 13 to 18, 2014.