In South Korea, the issue of bullying in the workplace is emerging with growing concern, with an increasing number of employees and professionals reporting “record levels” of trauma or psychological distress.

This is confirmed by the latest data provided in recent days by the government, starting with the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency (Kosha), which released the findings of its network of centres across the country.

The agency conducted 16,607 counseling sessions between 2022 and 2024, with annual figures rising sharply over the last three years. In 2023, 6,757 counseling sessions were conducted, an increase of 56.4% compared to 2022 and 22.2% compared to 2023.

The centres, first established in Daegu in 2018 and now expanded to 23 locations across the southern Korean peninsula, offer free psychological support to workers who have suffered trauma, including critical issues caused by serious accidents at work, suicides of colleagues, workplace bullying, or sexual harassment or violence.

Workplace accidents, including serious injuries, were the most common reason for seeking psychological support in 2023, with 3,214 sessions, almost half of the annual total. Counseling related to bullying and sexual harassment followed closely with 2,311 cases, almost double the 1,156 recorded in 2022.

Government-reported cases of workplace bullying also rose steadily, from 8,961 in 2022 to 11,038 in 2023 and 12,253 in 2024, suggesting a direct link with the growing demand for trauma support services.

Reports of abuse by workers, including verbal and physical assault, rose from 72 cases in 2022 to 202 in 2024, although this figure marks a decline from the 589 cases reported in 2023.

In addition, the overall increase in the use of post-traumatic counseling was also driven by an increase in “other” cases, such as trauma resulting from illnesses including COVID-19, which rose from 84 in 2022 to 1,030 in 2024.

Trauma assistance programs cover not only primary victims directly involved in workplace accidents, but also “secondary victims, such as colleagues or witnesses, who are psychologically affected by the events,” as Kosha experts explain in a statement.

The issue of bullying and discrimination on various grounds at the social level was a factor that, in the past, particularly affected North Korean refugees who left the Kim dictatorship in search of a better life in the South.

This was often a difficult journey characterized by lower pay, blocked career advancement, and a persistent climate of “surveillance” that continued even years after fleeing the North.

However, over time, the phenomenon has spread to different strata of society, even schools, with a growing number of complaints that have prompted the authorities to intervene with restrictions on university entrance exams.

In the aftermath of the devastating floods in Pakistan on 15-16 August, Caritas Pakistan is working to provide relief and care for those living with the effects.

“The Church stands with the affected families through prayer and action. Caritas Pakistan is actively responding, and we urge the continued support of all our faithful, as well as our local and international partners,” Archbishop Benny Mario Travas of the Archdiocese of Karachi and President of Caritas Pakistan told the Vatican’s Fides news agency.

A state of emergency has been declared for Karachi as new flood and heavy rain warnings have been issued for Sindh—a province in the south. At least seven people have died as a result of the flooding and reports show damage to infrastructure all throughout the area.

Recognizing the extent of the damage, the Executive Director of Caritas Pakistan, Amjad Gulzar, called the situation a national emergency. He explained immediate aid is being distributed in the different areas affected by the floods.

“Our teams are on the ground assessing needs and providing food, shelter, medical care, and restoring the dignity of affected families now also in the South,” Gulzar shared. The Caritas team is assessing the destruction and coordinating aid efforts. Working together, volunteers and district authorities are visiting affected areas to determine their needs.

The Executive Director reported that 2,500 flood-affected families—some 17,500 people—are expected to receive aid, in the form of food packages, hygiene kits, and drinking water.

Caritas Pakistan has also set up 15 free medical camps to help fight common flood-related illnesses and provided shelter kits for people who have lost their homes.

The Catholic Church in Thailand is stepping up efforts to strengthen pastoral care for the Deaf, beginning with a training program for seminarians at Fatima Minor Seminary in the Archdiocese of Thare-Nongseng in the northeast of the country. Fr. Peter Bhuravaj Searaariyah, Director of Pastoral Ministry for the Deaf of the Diocese of Chanthaburi and of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand, led the training program from August 22–24 with the support of the seminary director, Fr. Chatchai Nilkhet.

The sessions introduced seminarians to basic pastoral approaches for ministering to the Deaf, religious sign language terminology, participation in Thai Sign Language (TSL) Mass, and reciting the Liturgy of the Word in sign language.

Encouraged by the response, Fr. Peter plans to expand the training to other minor seminaries in the country, as well as to novices of male and female religious congregations. “The goal is to prepare future priests and religious to serve the Deaf with understanding and compassion,” he said. “There will be at least three sessions, each lasting at least two days,” he told LiCAS News.

The sessions at Thare drew strong engagement from seminarians, many of whom expressed a desire to deepen their knowledge of sign language for future pastoral work. A group of about 15 seminarians has already formed an online network to share resources, discuss Deaf culture, and explore how pastors can adapt to emerging challenges, including the role of technology in communication. Plans are also underway for in-person gatherings to strengthen the network.

Fr. Peter stressed that pastoral care for the Deaf requires more than language skills. “Many Deaf people live in isolation and feel excluded from opportunities hearing people take for granted,” he said.  Effective ministry, he added, means listening attentively, building trust, and ensuring access to sacraments and community life.

He noted that some Deaf Catholics feel neglected by the Church, making it urgent to develop specialized pastoral care similar to that offered to migrants and travelers. The Deaf, he said, have talents and skills equal to those of the hearing but require ministers who understand their unique cultural and linguistic identity. 

A Catholic bishop in civil war-torn Myanmar voiced hope that “everyone will do their part” to rebuild a church destroyed in his diocese during a military junta airstrike against rebel groups. Hakha Bishop Lucius Hre Kung spoke during a recent visit to the Church of Christ the King, which was destroyed in military bombings in April, Vatican’s Fides news agency reported.

“They destroyed the walls of the church, but not the faith. Our faith remains strong, the people of God in Falam continue to believe and hope,” Bishop Kung added. The church was consecrated in November 2023 with assistance from the estimated 1000 Catholics in the Falam region. Chinland Defense Force (CDF), a part of the People’s Defense Forces, which opposes the military junta, had taken control of Falam, resulting in retaliatory airstrikes from the junta.

Bishop Kung said he regularly visits the affected people in his diocese while bringing them “the consolation of the Lord”. “In this moment of suffering and trial, we remain firmly anchored in prayer,” he said while praying to Jesus and Mary to give them “the strength and hope to continue and hope for a future of peace.” Bishop Kung was able to visit the church and its vicinity only recently, to assess the damage and comfort the local population, Fides reported.

Fr Paulinus G.K. Shing, a local priest, expressed deep sorrow at the current state of the church while expressing hope that it will be rebuilt soon. “It was a very beautiful church, and the parish was happy to take care of it. I hope it can be rebuilt soon. I look with sadness at pictures of priests of the diocese being ordained there,” Fr Shin said.

At least 107 religious buildings, including 67 churches, have been destroyed by army bombing in Chin State since the deadly civil war began in February 2021, after the military ousted the elected civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi. The junta’s bloody campaign of violent repression against dissent has resulted in more than 6000 deaths, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

The Bishop of Kalookan Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David vowed to stand on the side of “bullied” Filipinos as he accompanied a victim of police abuse to file a complaint against police officers.

Cardinal David appeared at the National Police Commission (Napolcom), which administers and controls the Philippine National Police, with Jayson Dela Rosa on 18 August. The cardinal, who is also the outgoing president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, spoke to reporters at Napolcom afterwards. 

The case of Dela Rosa went viral, catching the attention of authorities, after David posted about it on Facebook earlier this month. The alleged abuse took place in David’s diocese in northern Metro Manila. 

Dela Rosa’s 20-year-old son, Dion Angelo, recently died of leptospirosis after wading in floodwaters to search for his missing father. The Dela Rosa family did not know, at that time, that the father had been arrested for illegal gambling. 

David said Dela Rosa had been wrongfully accused by abusive police officers. He recounted how Dela Rosa entered a “not guilty” plea, but his alleged co-player in an illegal street game pleaded “guilty”.

“The poor have no choice but to plead guilty to crimes they did not commit. That is hard to accept. The law should not be like that,” David said. 

The cardinal appealed to Filipino police officers to “save” their institution. “I still believe that a majority of police officers are good people. Yet a few abusive ones will destroy the institution,” he said. “How will people follow the law when law enforcers themselves do not follow it?”

David, 66, is a known defender of human rights in the Philippines. He rose to national prominence after criticising the drug war, which featured widespread police abuses, under former president Rodrigo Duterte from 2016 to 2022.

Rafael Vicente Calinisan, vice chairperson of Napolcom, thanked David for accompanying Dela Rosa in filing the complaint. “His presence in our office is a symbol of trust, a symbol of the new battle that we have to wage,” Calinisan said. “We will not let you down, cardinal.”

David said in response: “I am a priest, a bishop, that is why I am here. Our mission is to side with the marginalised, especially those who are bullied. It is not the role of law enforcers to bully people.” 

“The Thai Catholic Church views the current military tension along the border with profound concern”, Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondarattana of Bangkok and President of the Thai Catholic Bishops’ Conference told the Italian Catholic news agency AgenSir in an interview published July 26.
Tensions across the Thai and Cambodian border erupted on Thursday, July 24, in ongoing clashes that have resulted in at least 33 people dead and more than 168,000 displaced. The 800-kilometer frontier between the two countries has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief
“The Church is fully aware that border disputes, although presented as mere territorial issues, are often exploited for political purposes”, Archbishop Arpondarattana explained in the interview. He said “these tensions may be manipulated to stoke nationalist sentiments”, distract the population “from domestic issues” and “serve the interests of specific political actors”. According to the Archbishop this places “short-term political opportunism” above the well-being of the population and hinders a peaceful, sustainable long-term resolution.
He also said that the Church has often warned against “the dangers of extreme nationalism” and that border conflicts like this one stem from historical complexities and disagreements which need to be considered and understood in order to promote “genuine reconciliation and fair solutions” that lead to a more peaceful future.
The President of the Bishops’ Conference underlined that the Church “strongly supports dialogue, negotiation, and international mediation as pathways to lasting peace”.
He also said the Church is close to the ordinary people who live in the border areas. “They suffer displacement, loss of livelihoods, and constant threats of violence”, he said, emphasizing that “our faith calls us to recognise the inherent dignity of every human being, regardless of nationality or ethnicity”.
“We must resist divisive ideologies and instead foster a culture of solidarity and genuine fraternity”, he continued.
“The Church unequivocally condemns all acts of violence against civilians”, Archbishop Arpondarattana said. “We reiterate that international humanitarian law must be respected, and that non-combatants – including women, children, and the elderly – must always be protected”.

In an attempt to safeguard Iraq’s fragile Christian heritage, the Chaldean Patriarch of Bagh-dad has launched an urgent appeal to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to stop what he calls ‘attempts to destroy historic Christian cemeteries’ in the province of Najaf.
In their place, Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako denounces in a reflection published on the pa-triarchate’s website, local autho-rities want to support commercial development plans that would end up erasing a historical testimony of great value.
According to the Chaldean Church leader, ‘reliable sources in Najaf’ – a city 160 km south of the capital – are sounding the alarm about ‘attempts to transfer control of historic Christian cemeteries’ to investors and entrepreneurs with the aim of ‘carrying out projects’ in the construction sector. Hence the initiative of the cardinal, who has appealed directly to the head of government to block the expro-priation and keep alive the me-mory of a Christian presence in the area.
According to the statement, Cardinal Sako asked al-Sudani to ‘intervene and stop the violation of Christian holy sites,’ speci-fically identifying the ‘Manathira cemetery’ and the ‘Umm Kheshm cemetery for Christian Mana-thira’ as being at risk of ‘imminent threat.’ ‘These historic sites,’ the cardinal continued, ‘must be guarded and fenced off. Further-more, they must not be tied to private investment projects, which would end up completely erasing them.’
Framing his appeal in terms of national interest, the cardinal argued that these areas have immense cultural and economic value that goes beyond the Christian community and concerns the entire Iraqi population, including Muslims. Cardinal Sako went on to emphasise that Iraq’s diverse history predates the Islamic era by a long way, encompassing ‘the Akkadians, Sumerians, Chaldeans, Babylonians, Assyrians, Arabs, Persians, Christians and finally Muslims.’

Catholics in Nagasaki, Japan, have replaced a bell in a cathedral bell tower there almost exactly 80 years to the day after it was destroyed by the atomic blast that leveled most of the city at the end of World War II.
An international effort to fund the construction and installation of the bell at Urakami Cathedral raised $125,000 in just over a year, with the funds coming from over 600 individual donors, according to Williams College Professor James Nolan.
Nagasaki was one of the two Japanese cities, along with Hiro-shima, largely destroyed by the U.S. atomic bombings at the close of World War II. The city was bombed on Aug. 9, 1945, marking the second and last time an atomic bomb was used as an act of war.
Nolan told CNA last year that parishioners at Urakami Cathe-dral managed to dig up one of the original bells after the bombing and save it; the bell was installed in the cathedral’s right bell tower after it was rebuilt in 1959.
The remaining bell, however, was destroyed, with the second rebuilt tower remaining empty for decades.
Nagasaki Archbishop Peter Michiaki Nakamura blessed the bell on that date and named it the “St. Kateri Bell of Hope,” accor-ding to the Associated Press.
The bell will be officially installed on Aug. 9, eight decades after the parish was leveled by the atomic bomb. Nolan said it will be rung at 11:02 a.m., the exact moment in 1945 when the bomb detonated around 1,600 feet west of the church.
At the bombing location, a section of wall from the old, destroyed cathedral sits in Nagasaki Peace Park. At the rebuilt parish to the east, meanwhile, Nolan said he hopes the bell “will bear the fruit of fostering hope and peace and solidarity between American and Japanese Catholics.”

Widespread corruption in government infrastructure pro-jects contributed to the severe flooding that paralyzed parts of Manila, especially the low-lying areas, according to Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.
“We are told it’s the climate – yes, climate change is real, and it is devastating. But let us be clear: the real disaster here is corruption,” said the cardinal, also Archbishop of Kalookan.
Despite spending billions of pesos for flood control projects, several areas in the city continue without “an iota of improve-ment,” he said in a four-page pastoral letter addressed to Catholics in his diocese.
The July 25 pastoral letter emphasized that unless corruption is addressed, no long-term solu-tions to flooding will be possible. According to government records, more than 5 billion pesos (appro-ximately US$87 million) has been allocated to flood control projects in the worst-affected areas of Malabon and Navotas since 2023, the letter said.
However, residents in these areas still face problems with non-functioning floodgates, clogged canals, and poor construction, it added. “This is not a new crisis – it is a recurring one. And this year, the delays are even worse. How many more cycles of damage and neglect must our communities endure before real accountability is demanded?” it asked.
Additionally, the cardinal also cited 142.7 billion pesos in alleged “questionable insertions” in the 2025 national budget, which some opposition politicians described as “new face of pork,” a slang term for political spending. “Mean-while, our people wade in sewage and sleep in damp evacuation centers,” the cardinal said. David called on the public, especially the youth, to speak up against corruption, saying it is the only way to protect their future.

Families of victims of a “blas-phemy gang,” which allegedly entrapped hundreds of mostly young people in fake cases to extort money, have vowed to challenge a Pakistan court deci-sion suspending a probe into misuse of the controversial blasphemy law.
The families and their lawyers say the decision by the Islamabad High Court in the national capital to overturn its earlier order about forming a commission to conduct an investigation was frustrating, so it will be challenged in the Supreme Court. On July 24, an appellate bench of the Islamabad High Court, which has jurisdiction over lower courts in the Islamabad Capital Territory, issued an interim order to overturn the earlier verdict by Judge Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan. Khan’s July 15 verdict asked the government to form a commission within one month. The commission was directed to complete the probe and submit a report within four months.
The order was in response to a petition filed by 101 families in September that alleged that a criminal network in collaboration with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been responsible for the arrest of 450 people on fabricated blasphemy charges. At least five accused died in police custody. Among those detained are ten Christians, according to Christian rights activists.
The families of victims will challenge the suspension in the Supreme Court, said Rana Abdul Hameed, a lawyer representing some of the petitioning families.
“The original verdict was based on merit. It’s highly irregular to issue an interim order while proceedings are ongoing,” he told UCA News on July 28. The lawyer said that the network behind the blasphemy entrapments has been exposed through live-streamed testimonies.