Koreans infected with 'Francis syndrome' after papal visit

A former South Korean ambassador to the Holy See spoke of the effects of Pope Francis' recent visit to his country, saying that all of Asia now feels a long-term challenge to imitate his humble ways.  “All the ‎media in Korea are already speaking of 'Francis syndrome,'” former ambassador Thomas Han told ‎Catholic News Agency (CNA) last week.   “The Korean people, having been deeply impressed by Pope ‎Francis' person and his lifestyle, seriously reflect upon the meaning of their lives and seek to see the ‎things in life that really matter.”  Han explained that leaders “at every level of society” now feel an ‎‎“unspoken pressure to make their own the leadership style the Korean people have witnessed in Pope ‎Francis.” “Therefore, it is safe to say that such 'Francis syndrome' will surely serve as a momentum for ‎the Koreans to promote the culture of love, thereby contributing to authentic humanization of the ‎Korean Peninsula in the long term.”  The highlights of the Pope Francis’ Aug. 14-18 visit to South ‎Korea, was the beatification of 124 Korean martyrs, the celebration of the 6th Asian Youth Day and a Mass ‎for peace and reconciliation in the Korean peninsula.  (Source: CNA)