Today marks the 80th birthday of Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the Metropolitan Archbishop Emeritus of Seoul, South Korea. With this significant birthday, he steps down from his role as a Cardinal elector, no longer eligible to participate in a future papal conclave. Cardinal Yeom was born on December 5, 1943, in Ansong, South Korea.
His journey into priesthood began with his ordination on December 8, 1970. Cardinal Yeom initially served the Church in various capacities, including as an assistant pastor, pastor, and teacher, before advancing to the position of chancellor of the archdiocesan curia.
On December 12, 2001, his ecclesiastical career took a significant turn when Pope John Paul II appointed him as the Titular Bishop of Tibiuca and Auxiliary Bishop of Seoul. His consecration was performed by Archbishop Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, who later became a Cardinal.
In his role as Auxiliary Bishop, Cardinal Yeom led the local Committee for Life. His leadership was further recognized on May 10, 2012, when Pope Benedict XVI elevated him to the position of Metropolitan Archbishop of Seoul. Alongside this role, he also served as the Apostolic Administrator of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
Pope Francis created him a Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church in the Consistory of February 22, 2014, with the titular church of San Crisogono.
After reaching the mandatory retirement age, he was named Archbishop Emeritus of Seoul on October 28, 2021.
With Cardinal Yeom Soo-jung’s 80th birthday, the number of Cardinal electors has now decreased to 134, exceeding the limit of 120 set by Pope Paul VI. Furthermore, by the end of 2023, Cardinals Jean Zerbo and Juan Luis Cipriani Thorne, respectively Archbishop of Bamako (Mali) and Archbishop Emeritus of Lima (Peru), are also expected to turn 80, which will reduce the number of electors to 132.
