The President of South Korea Moon Jae-in and Pope Francis will meet on Thursday October 18 at the Vatican Apostolic Palace at 12p.m. local time.
The President of South Korea is on a nine day European tour starting from October 13. At the meeting with Pope Francis he will present North Korean leader's, Kim Jong-un, invitation to the pope to visit his country.
North and South Korea have been historically divided for 70 years, after being caught up in Cold war tensions between the Soviet Union and US.
The pope visited South Korea in 2014 where he presided over the beatification of Paul Yun-Ji-Chung and another 123 martyrs. There he recalled the example of the martyrs as call to contribute to peace in the Korean peninsula.
POPE FRANCIS
“The legacy of the martyrs can inspire all men and women of good will to work in harmony for a more just, free and reconciled society, thus contributing to peace and the protection of authentically human values in this country and in our world.”
While in Rome the president will participate at a “Mass for Peace” for the Korean Peninsula presided over by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State.
