The World Council of Churches, one of world's largest inter-church bodies, has opened registration for its historic international assembly in Korea this fall.

The WCC 10th General Assembly will be held October 30 to November 8 in Busan, Korea. The event, which is the most diverse international gathering of Christians in the world, is open to delegates of member churches within the WCC and anyone who is interested in Christian unity. Organizers will also accept registration for media accreditation.

Thousands of Christian leaders from over 100 countries will gather for ten days at the Bexco Exhibition and Convention Center in Busan, the second largest city in South Korea.

Registration costs run from $150 to $400 USD, depending on which country the participant resides in. No deadline has been announced, but participants who need a visa into Korea will be contacted in March, according the registration instructions.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the WCC represents 560 million Christians in 110 countries through its 349 member churches from Protestant, Orthodox, Evangelical, Pentecostal and Anglican traditions. The fellowship organization is the largest body in the world working toward Christian unity across churches which confess Jesus Christ as God and Savior.

The Roman Catholic Church, which works in cooperation with the WCC but does not hold membership, will also be represented at the 10th General Assembly.

The WCC assembly meets every seven to eight years to review programs, issue public statements, and elect governance officials for the fellowship organization.

The theme of each assembly is selected fit the country hosting the event. The last assembly, which was held 2006 in Porto Alegre, Brazil, focused on economic justice.

This year's meeting in Busan, Korea, will be centered on the theme, "God of life, lead us to justice and peace," which is relevant to a country that has been divided since the Cold War in the 1950s.

"The WCC assembly in Korea will make important statements on Christian unity, social issues, peace concerns for the Korean peninsula and global conflicts," said Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, the general secretary of WCC, at a recent press conference on the assembly.

On the Web:

Official website of the WCC 10th Assembly: http://wcc2013.info/en

Registration form for the WCC 10th Assembly

Registration form for media accreditation