Culture minister Yu In-chon has vowed to spare no effort in working to realize peace and unity of South Korea and the Vatican as well as the world as whole. 

Yu made the remark on Monday during a mass held at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between South Korea and the Papacy. 

In a congratulatory speech, Yu said South Korea and the Vatican made remarkable progress based on deep trust and close friendship in the past six decades. 

The minister said he is confident that the two sides will further improve friendly relations with Monday’s mass and pledged to expand cultural exchanges and cooperation for the success of the 2027 World Youth Day which Seoul will host. 

Monday’s mass was the first event abroad for Yu to attend since assuming office in October. 

Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who officiated the mass, said he would like to underline that the Vatican supports the Korean people’s desire toward reconciliation and unification before vowing to provide sincere cooperation and assistance.