Bishop Timothy Yu Gyoung-chon dies at 63

Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Yu Gyoung-chon of the Seoul Archdiocese died Friday at 12:28 a.m. at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital. He was 63.

Born in Seoul on Sept. 4, 1962, Yu studied at the Catholic University of Seoul before pursuing theological studies at the University of Wurzburg in Germany. He was ordained in January 1992 for the Archdiocese of Seoul. He later earned his doctorate in moral theology from Sankt Georgen University in Frankfurt, Germany, and was appointed auxiliary bishop by Pope Francis on Dec. 30, 2013.

As bishop, Yu oversaw social ministries and served as vicar for the East Seoul region, presiding over memorial masses for major disasters. At the first anniversary mass for the 2022 Itaewon crowd crush that killed 159 people, he called for proper remembrance of victims and social support for bereaved families. He also led the second anniversary mass for the 2014 Sewol ferry disaster in 2016.

Local media described Yu as having lived a simple life. He drove a Kia Pride for decades and focused his ministry on serving the marginalized. In a statement, the Seoul Archdiocese said Yu became a model for fellow clergy through his humility and care for society’s most vulnerable.

Yu was the younger brother of former Culture Minister Yoo In-chon.

The wake is being held at Myeongdong Cathedral from Friday, 3 p.m. to Sunday, 3 p.m.. The funeral mass will take place Monday at 10 a.m. at the cathedral. Burial will follow at the Seoul Archdiocese cemetery in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.