Tensions rose before the Pope's arrival to Seoul, as North Korea launched three short ranged missiles. The missiles landed in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. ;
South Korea's Ministry of Defense said that the launch occurred at 9am without any previous warning from the North. The Pope's plane landed at 10:15am. Officials say that they are on the alert for any other potential launches. ;
The attacks come at a time when the Pope is urging for peace and reconciliation in the peninsula. ;
During his flight, he sent several messages to the heads of state of the nations he flew over. The most significant of these was a message to Chinese President Xi Jinping . This is the first time that a Pope has flown over Chinese air space. ;
Many hope that relations between Vatican and China, an ally of North Korea, will improve during his visit to the Korean peninsula. ;
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