Father Kim Yong-tae likened the December 3rd emergency martial law incident under President Yoon Suk-yeol to the Book of Revelation during a socio-political sermon, stirring public interest upon its release. On December 9th, the Catholic Diocese of Daejeon’s Justice and Peace Committee held a national prayer meeting with about a thousand participants at the Dehungdong Cathedral. In his sermon, Father Kim, chair of the committee, compared Yoon’s alleged rebellion to the apocalyptic narrative, referencing the dragon with seven heads and horns from Revelation 12:3, which symbolizes evil forces leading people away from God.
He described how the dragon is cast out of heaven, gathers an army, but is ultimately consumed by divine fire and cast into a sea of fire and brimstone. He drew a parallel between this narrative and the current political climate, naming “Yongsan,” the location associated with the president’s residence, as the lair of an evil serpent.
Father Kim expressed that the December 3rd event, deemed a façade for a loyalist coup rather than a genuine state of emergency, was an attack on the citizens of the nation. He added that the so-called emergency state was quelled within hours due to the collective prayers and courage of the nation’s people, advocating for the removal of what he called the tyrannical forces from power.
The sermon video, shared online, resonated with netizens, who expressed gratitude toward Catholic priests for their historical role in defending democracy and found the sermon to be a cathartic experience.