East Asia

On 29 October, Seoul will mark the anniversary of the crush that claimed the lives of 159 young people on Halloween. The victims’ families continue to this day to call for clarity regarding who was responsible for the disaster, and demand that the memorial to the victims (currently hidden inside a building in Jongno district) become a proper, dedicated site of remembrance.

At the meeting currently taking place in the city of St Francis, the High Priest of Tendai Buddhism, Sugitani Gijun, recalled how, following the example of the initiative launched by John Paul II 40 years ago, leaders of all faiths have also been gathering annually on Mount Hiei since 1987 to perform the same gesture. “Economic and political globalisation is losing momentum; we are continuing the globalisation of religions for peace.”

Anthropic has documented the use of Claude to track Catholic and Tibetan Buddhist leaders, Christians in Taiwan, and the Falun Gong. A religious affairs intelligence unit that once employed many teams has been reduced to a single office, yet this is enough to produce thousands of investigations per month.

The first brain-computer interface (BCI) auditory brainstem implant has been approved. China wants to challenge US leadership in a multi-billion-dollar market, with BCIs identified as one of the key sectors of the future. However, unresolved concerns remain regarding bioethics and the protection of personal data.

Next week, the final plenum before the 2027 Congress is set to further tighten internal controls over officials, this despite the tenfold increase in anti-corruption probes since Xi Jinping came to power. One of every four members of the Party’s governing body are expected to be present. The fate of the Central Military Commission is a paradox.

Starting today, groups can register on the organising committee’s website to participate in the global gathering of young people in Seoul, on 3-8 August. Addressing a congress on school-based pastoral care, the pope said that, “Beneath the armour that many teenagers build for themselves to avoid suffering lies a deep desire to love and to be loved.”

The diplomatic crisis involving Ukraine is getting tangled up with President Lee Jae-myung’s overtures towards Russia. South Korea hopes that the Kremlin might facilitate fresh talks with the North; however, contacts with Moscow are fuelling suspicions in Washington and risk jeopardising relations with Kyiv and South Korea’s European partners.

The Japanese MMX mission is designed to bring samples from one of Mars’ moons back to Earth by 2031, the same year that materials collected on the moon by China’s Tianwen-3 mission are also expected to return. India and South Korea are investing in new technologies, infrastructure, and satellites. The commercial importance of space is growing.

While 51 per cent of South Koreans claim no religious affiliation, the sacred is still present in many aspects of life. While Buddhism faces a crisis in a society, the social role of Confucianism persists amid the rise of new religious movements (along with the tensions they bring). Among the various religions, Christianity, all denominations included, now make up 31 per cent of the population.

While the overall population continues to decline, the Japanese capital saw a slight reversal. In 2025, 857 more births were reported than in the previous year. Initiatives under consideration include AI-powered matchmaking services and a programme that encourages couples to share their wedding pictures on social media.

A conference in Taipei marked the centenary of Pius XI’s historic decision in October 1926 to ordain the first six bishops born in China. This was a crucial step on a path of inculturation which, after 1949, however, had to contend with control from Beijing. The challenge of the Church’s identity in China remains as relevant as ever.

From reforestation in China to sustainable coffee in Indonesia, and free-diving fisherwomen in South Korea: the FAO has selected 100 women who are contributing to food security, environmental protection and the development of rural communities. However, the sector is still marked by significant gender inequalities.