Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk, former Catholic archbishop of Seoul, has been hospitalized due to deteriorating health conditions, according to Catholic insiders Sunday.

Cheong, 90, was recently admitted to a hospital and was receiving treatment, according to the sources familiar with the cardinal's situation.

He has reportedly managed to overcome critical, life-threatening situations on multiple occasions.

Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the current archbishop of Seoul, has reportedly notified priests of Cheong's health condition and asked them to pray for his predecessor's health with fellow Catholics.

Cheong recovered from multiple operations in the past and has concentrated on writing since retiring from the archbishop position in 2012.

He served as the archbishop of Seoul for 14 years starting in May 1998, when he was appointed to the post after Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan stepped down. (Yonhap)