Young Korean Taekwondo athletes pleaded for peace in Korea, in front of Pope Francis, at the General Audience on May 30, 2018.
Near the podium in St. Peter’s Square, about 15 young people dressed in black and white to symbolize the two Koreas joining together in an embrace. A young woman dressed in white released a dove and a young athlete in black made an acrobatic jump to unfurl the banner: “One World, One Taekwondo.” Then all faced the crowd with a long banner with the message: “Peace is more precious than triumph” in Italian.
The performance, which the Pope hailed, visibly moved, was organized by the International Taekwondo Federation, in the wake of the Winter Olympics held in Pyeongchang near the border between the two Koreas.
Greeting the athletes one by one, the Pope thanked them: “I thank the Korean athletes for their performance: it was a demonstration of the will for peace, a representation of the two Koreas together!”
“It was a message of peace for all humanity. Thank you!”
