Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State, referenced the late young conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated last month, stating, "He was deeply concerned about some of the things happening within the Korean church."
In an interview on the podcast 'The Greg Laurie Show' released on the 28th (local time), Secretary Rubio discussed Kirk's Christian worldview, saying, "We exchanged text messages five days before he died," and made these remarks.
Secretary Rubio added, "At that time, Kirk was either in Korea or on his way back, and he was very concerned about certain developments within the Korean church. We had planned to discuss it the next time we met, but unfortunately, that conversation never happened."
Secretary Rubio did not specify exactly what situations Kirk was concerned about.
President Donald Trump, during the U.S.-Korea summit on August 25, mentioned the Korean authorities' raids on churches, stating, "If true, it would be a regrettable situation." It is unclear whether the situation Kirk referred to is related to this.
Kirk, the founder of the conservative youth movement organization Turning Point USA, was killed by a suspect in his twenties while giving a lecture at a university in Utah on the 10th of last month. He was known for his hardline right-wing positions on issues such as homosexuality and abortion, and is credited with rallying young people and contributing to President Trump's bid for re-election.
Regarding Kirk's faith, Secretary Rubio said, "One of the things that made him unique was that he was not simply a political figure. While he was involved in politics, his ministry went much deeper."
The Greg Laurie Show is a podcast hosted by renowned pastor Greg Laurie, and this interview was conducted on the 15th. The State Department distributed the full transcript of the interview as a press release on the same day.
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