President Lee Jae-myung, Cardinal Yoo Heung-sik Meeting and World Youth Day (WYD): Opportunities for South Korea's Soft Power Strategy

Introduction: Youth and Religion, New Diplomatic Assets on the International Stage

In today's international community, the success or failure of diplomacy is not solely determined by military or economic power. For a country to be trusted and exert influence on the world stage, it is essential to strategically utilize culture, human rights, and values-based 'soft power'. In this context, the World Youth Day (WYD), scheduled to be held in Seoul in 2027, is emerging as an important opportunity for South Korea to strengthen its cultural status in the international community. On July 7, 2025, President Lee Jae-myung officially met with Cardinal Lazarus You, confirming both sides' willingness to cooperate in successfully hosting the 2027 World Youth Day and discussing how to utilize this as an international platform for peace on the Korean Peninsula and youth solidarity. Cardinal You is the first Korean to serve as the Secretary for Relations with States in the Vatican and is a key figure in bringing the World Youth Day to South Korea. The World Youth Day is both a religious event and a large-scale cultural diplomacy event that gathers multinational youth in one place. Therefore, it is necessary to strategically leverage this event not only as a religious occurrence but also to enhance Korea's national brand and expand its diplomatic assets. This essay will analyze how the 2027 Seoul WYD can contribute to the expansion of South Korea's soft power and examine the cooperative structure between the government and the church to realize this.

The Nature and Influence of the World Youth Day (WYD)

The World Youth Day (WYD) is an international youth event that began in 1986 at the suggestion of Pope John Paul II. It is a gathering of young people from around the world based on Catholic faith, but over time it has evolved into a global platform that goes beyond a simple religious event to include cultural exchange, international solidarity, and human rights discourse. WYD is a large-scale event that gathers hundreds of thousands of young participants, volunteers, clergy, and journalists, significantly boosting the international recognition and cultural standing of the host city. Examples such as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2013), Kraków, Poland (2016), and Lisbon, Portugal (2023) show that hosting WYD positively impacts the country's tourism revitalization, diplomatic credibility, and improvement of youth policies. In particular, before and after the event, the cultural assets of the host city are introduced to the international community, expanding diplomatic connections with countries of various religions and cultures.

The process of hosting WYD in Seoul and its political and diplomatic background

The 2027 World Youth Day is set to be held in Seoul. This is a result of Cardinal Hong's successful bid after close consultations with the Vatican, and the South Korean government also recognizes this as a national event and is actively supporting it. Notably, during a meeting in 2025 between President Lee Jae-myung and Cardinal Yu, there was a shared strategic direction to elevate WYD beyond a mere religious event, aiming to enhance peace on the Korean Peninsula and serve as a platform for international youth exchange. President Lee hopes to realize Pope Leo XIII's visit to South Korea alongside the WYD schedule and has suggested the possibility of a papal visit to North Korea. This can be interpreted as part of a peace strategy for the Korean Peninsula utilizing religious diplomacy, indicating that the hosting of WYD in Seoul could serve as a stage for international diplomacy rather than just a domestic religious event. The political and diplomatic potential of WYD goes beyond mere participant numbers or tourism revenue. It presents an opportunity for South Korea to declare itself as a "center of youth and peace" to the world and serves as a moment to reshape the national image through collaboration between the government and religious communities.

The value of WYD in South Korea's soft power strategy

South Korea has already established itself as a soft power powerhouse through K-pop, K-dramas, and IT capabilities. However, this soft power has primarily focused on popular culture and economic influence until now. The 2027 WYD offers an opportunity to expand its scope to universal value areas such as youth, peace, religion, and human rights. The Seoul WYD will serve as a platform for young people from various countries to experience Korea firsthand. They will encounter the openness, democracy, civic consciousness, and religious freedom of Korean society, leading them to remember Korea as a 'free and inclusive Asian country.' This can result in a long-term formation of positive sentiments and the building of diplomatic trust, going beyond the short-term effects of the visit. Additionally, Korea can emerge as a center for multilateral cultural diplomacy through WYD. It will not only strengthen diplomatic relations with the Holy See but also expand civilian diplomatic contacts with regions dense in Catholic populations, such as Asia, Latin America, Europe, and Africa. This can be evaluated as a strategy to enhance multi-layered diplomatic capabilities that complement existing political and economic-centered diplomacy.

The necessity and tasks of the cooperation structure between the government and the church

WYD is an event organized by the Vatican and the Catholic Church, but since it is an international event that gathers hundreds of thousands of people, it is unlikely to be successfully held without full support from the government. Areas such as transportation, accommodation, healthcare, interpretation, security, and environmental management all require systematic preparation at the government level. However, cooperation between the government and religion can raise social concerns about the principle of separation of church and state. Therefore, the criteria and principles of cooperation need to be clearly established, and mechanisms are necessary to prevent political controversies using religion or debates over religious privileges in advance. To this end, it is essential to form a joint committee involving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the City of Seoul, and the Archdiocese of Seoul. Furthermore, to ensure that WYD is not recognized solely as a religious event, inclusivity and publicness should be strengthened through citizen participation programs, multicultural festivals, and community-related cultural events. The government should respect the boundaries between religion and culture in supporting the event while also establishing a practical cooperation framework for the successful operation of the international event and maintaining open communication with civil society, including religious communities.

Conclusion: WYD Seoul must become a diplomatic asset for Korea in the world.

The hosting of the 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul presents a significant opportunity for South Korea to convey a new message to the international community. WYD is not merely a festival for religious individuals it serves as a multidimensional diplomatic stage where youth, peace, human rights, and cultural diplomacy converge. Through this platform, Korea can strengthen its identity as an 'open civilization' and a 'youth-centered nation,' going beyond merely being a cultural powerhouse. For this to happen, cooperation between the government and the church is essential, and the approach to this collaboration must be carefully designed to respect religious neutrality and maximize civic engagement. Not only should there be administrative capabilities to successfully run WYD, but also strategic thinking to transform this into a diplomatic asset. The Seoul WYD can become a milestone symbolizing Korea's future diplomatic capabilities, not just a one-time event. If the government, religious sectors, and civil society cooperate closely, South Korea can establish itself as a new central nation that talks about peace and shares culture with youth worldwide.