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Pope Francis and South Korean President Moon Jae-in gesture as they exchange gifts at the Vatican on Thursday. Photo: Agence France-Presse

Pope Francis will visit Pyongyang if invited, says South Korea’s President Moon, as Vatican rules out Taiwan trip

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would ‘ardently welcome’ Pope Francis, according to the South Korean president

North Korea

Pope Francis is ready to visit North Korea if its leader, Kim Jong-un, extends a formal invitation, South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Thursday after meeting the pontiff, as the Vatican separately said a visit to Taiwan was not in the works.

Moon briefed the pontiff about his visit to Pyongyang in September when Kim had “expressed his wish to welcome the Pope into his country” saying he would “ardently” welcome him, the South Korean leader’s spokesman said.

“When President Moon asked the Pope if it would be all right for Kim to send an invitation … the Pope said: ‘What you just told me is enough, but it would be good if a formal invitation is sent’,” he said, speaking in Korean.

Moon Jae-in promises peace with Pyongyang ahead of meeting with Pope

“If the invitation comes, I will definitely respond to that, and I can go,” he quoted the Pope as saying.

Pope Francis meets South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Vatican on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

In a statement, the Vatican said: “Strong appreciation was expressed for the common commitment to fostering all useful initiatives to overcome the tensions that still exist in the Korean peninsula, in order to usher in a new season of peace and development.”

And Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said: “I can confirm that a verbal invitation was made.”

Taiwan invites Pope Francis to visit after landmark China-Vatican deal

When asked by reporters if there were conditions that the North would have to meet, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See’s second-ranking official, said on Thursday evening: “This will come later, once we start thinking in earnest about the possibility of making this trip, then we will have to think about conditions in which the trip can take place.

“(The Pope) is willing to make the trip but a trip of this kind will need serious preparation,” added Parolin, who met separately with Moon after the South Korean president held talks with the Pope.

Moon’s spokesman also quoted the Pope as saying that he “strongly” backed the peace process, telling the South Korean leader to “march ahead without stopping,” adding: “Do not be afraid.”

In a separate statement, the Vatican said the Pope was not planning a trip to Taiwan.

Taiwanese Vice-President Chen Chien-jen made the invitation during a weekend audience with the Pope, later telling reporters that Francis had “smiled” when he made the offer.

Pope Francis meets South Korean President Moon Jae-in during a private audience at the Vatican on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

Last month, the Vatican forged a landmark deal with Beijing on the appointment of bishops, paving the way for a rapprochement. The Vatican has not had diplomatic relations with Beijing since 1951.

That has raised questions over the future of official ties between Taiwan and the Holy See – the island’s only official ally in Europe – as China makes a concerted effort to poach its dwindling number of diplomatic allies.

Additional reporting by Reuters

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Pope open to visit North, but no plans for Taiwanese trip
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