Pope Francis has died at 88, Vatican announced on Easter Monday

Thank you for joining us. I'm Yoon Jung-min.

We begin this evening with the passing of a towering figure, not just in the Catholic Church, but for many on the world stage.

Pope Francis died on Monday morning, local time, at the age of 88.

The late Pope suffered from chronic lung disease.

The iconic pontiff was known for his concern for the poorest and most marginalized.

Our Choi Soo-hyung walks us through his legacy.

Pope Francis died on Monday morning at the age of 88.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, announced that "At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church."

Recently, Pope Francis had been treated for severe pneumonia at Gemelli Hospital in Rome, Italy, for about a month starting in February.

He then returned to the Vatican and resumed his duties.

Ahead of Easter, he made a surprise visit to a prison in Rome and also held a private meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

On Easter Sunday, April 20th, he delivered a blessing message in St. Peter's Square.

"Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter. The Master of Ceremonies will read you the message."

On March 13th, 2013, Argentine-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected as the 266th pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, following the surprise resignation of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI .

He became the first Latin-American pontiff and one of the oldest popes in the Catholic Church's history at the age of 76.

"Brothers and sisters, good evening."

From his very first greeting as pope, Francis went on to lead the world's 1-point-4 billion Catholics for 12 years.

Since his election, Pope Francis drew global attention with his humble and modest lifestyle wearing simple shoes and carrying an iron cross instead of the golden one.

He also led progressive reforms within the Catholic Church, often clashing with conservative factions.

As part of his efforts to reform the Vatican, he took on entrenched bureaucracies and emphasized the need for the Church to be more inclusive.

He dedicated his whole life to supporting minorities and vulnerable groups.

Last year, his decision to allow Catholic priests to "bless" same-sex couples sparked controversy and backlash from traditionalists.

In January, he appointed Sister Simona Brambilla as the first female prefect in the history of the Vatican.

Pope Francis is also remembered for his strong and consistent messages on global conflict and peace.

He visited the Arab Emirates, becoming the first pope in history to set foot on the Arabian Peninsula, and also visited Orthodox Christian countries like Bulgaria, promoting unity.

He called for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine, and urged a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

In 2014, he visited South Korea as the first stop on his tour of Asia, demonstrating his deep concern for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

During Pope Francis's tenure, two South Korean cardinals were appointed Andrew Yeom Soo-jung and Lazzaro You Heung-sik.

Cardinal You currently serves as the Prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Clergy.

Choi Soo-hyung, Arirang News.