Korean Catholics to increase effort in organ donations

SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea announced
Thursday it will set up a network aimed at increasing organ donations, a movement
that earned increased recognition here after the death of Cardinal Stephen Kim
Sou-hwan earlier this year.
During the four-day conference held from Monday, 22 bishops led by Cardinal
Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk agreed to create the network under its bioethics
committee some time later this year.
The number of pledged organ donors increased by nearly six-fold shortly after
Cardinal Kim's death on Feb. 16, with more than 100 people signing up daily,
according to the Korean Organ Donor Program data.
The late cardinal -- respected by Catholics and non-Catholics alike for his
courageous criticism of a succession of South Korean dictators and his tireless
support for democracy -- had deeply inspired the public by donating his eyes to
two patients. He had pledged to donate his organs as early as 1990, desiring to
"give everything and leave with nothing."
Less than one out of 10 South Koreans donate their organs while more than 18,000
patients are waiting for transplants. In Spain, 34 percent of citizens are
registered as voluntary organ donors, followed by 22 percent in the U.S. and 20
percent in France.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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