Article: RELIGION SHOWS ITS STRENGTH CHURCHES PLAY KEY ROLE IN POLITICAL-REFORM DRIVE

SEOUL - Two weeks ago, when 200 student protesters barricaded themselves inside Myongdong Cathedral, hymn-chanting nuns with pink flowers formed a protective line between them and government security forces -- a scene reminiscent of the final days before Philippine "people power" brought down Ferdinand Marcos in February 1986.

The showdown at the cathedral, which was peacefully settled with a priest acting as negotiator, was a dramatic illustration of the quiet but effective role played by Catholic and Protestant churches in South Korea's long, slow battle for political reform and social justice under a succession of authoritarian regimes.

Christianity has been making inroads here for ...

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