S. Korea: Catholicism's unlikely Asian pillar

Seoul's Myeongdong Cathedral, where Pope Francis will conduct a reconciliation mass, was a focal point for South Korea's pro-democracy movement and has been used as a place of sanctuary by many dissidents seeking to avoid arrest.

Seoul (AFP) - When Pope Francis visits South Korea this week, he will find a thriving Catholic community with a social and political influence that belies its minority status in one of Christianity's most muscular Asian strongholds.

The visit will recognise the vicious persecution of early Korean Catholics, with the beatification by Francis of 124 martyrs executed for their faith in the 18th and 19th centuries.