Moon delivers Kim’s invitation to Pope
Pope Francis on Thursday received an invitation to visit North Korea and the pontiff indicated that he would consider making what would be aa landmark trip to the hermit nation, according to South Korean officials.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in relayed the invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the pope verbally during a 35-minute meeting in the Vatican.
Any visit would be the first by a pope to the reclusive state which does not allow priests to be permanently stationed there. There is little information on how many of its citizens are Catholic, or how they practice their faith.
Kim told Moon, a Catholic, of his wish to meet the pontiff during a meeting last month and the South Korean leader announced before the trip that he would be relaying a message.
According to the president’s office, Francis expressed his strong support for efforts to bring peace to the Korean peninsula. Moon’s office quoted the pope as telling Moon: “Do not stop, move forward. Do not be afraid.”
Asked if Kim should send a formal invitation, Moon’s office quoted the pope as responding to Moon: “your message is already sufficient but it would be good for him to send a formal invitation.”
“I will definitely answer if I get the invitation, and I can go,” the president’s office quoted the pope as saying.
Also: VATICAN CITY: The Vatican has issued a statement saying that Pope Francis is not making plans to visit Taiwan, after that country’s deputy president reiterated an invitation for the pontiff.
While it is routine for world leaders to invite the pope to visit when they meet, it is rare for the Vatican to announce a visit is not being planned.
Thursday’s statement came on the same day that South Korean officials said the pope had expressed willingness to visit
North Korea, and just weeks after the Vatican announced a breakthrough deal with
China. Taiwan fears that improving relations with China could cause the Vatican to break diplomatic ties.