ASIA/SOUTH KOREA – Pope’s visit to Korea: An Opportunity to renew inter-Korean dialogue

Seoul – Following the official invitation extended to Pope Leo XIV to visit South Korea for World Youth Day in Seoul in 2027, “I also asked him to consider a stop in the Demilitarized Zone and, if possible, a visit to North Korea. The Pope said he would take these proposals into consideration,” stated South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung in a statement released by the media of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea after his return from a visit to Europe, during which he met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. Expectations are therefore growing that the Pope’s 2027 visit to Korea could become a catalyst for the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue.
According to Father Jeong Su-yong, vice president of the National Reconciliation Committee of the Archdiocese of Seoul, “If a papal visit to the North were to take place, the positive impact on peace on the Korean Peninsula could be far greater than we can imagine. At the same time, I believe it would be even more important for us to put aside hostility, set aside suspicions, and cultivate a heart of mutual respect for the sake of peace and improved inter-Korean relations, just as the Pope is working for peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
Father Park Chang-il, president of the NGO Peace3000, notes: “It seems that North Korea is following the Vatican’s initiatives with interest. They are aware of World Youth Day and know that it will be held in Seoul next year.” In this context, North Korea could send a positive message to the international community: “From North Korea’s perspective, I wonder what would happen if the North Korean government took the initiative and the Pope’s visit to the North materialized. I think it could create a good image and have a positive influence on the international community. North Korea has much to gain from a potential papal visit.” The idea of a papal visit to North Korea has already been pursued by previous administrations. In 2018, the government of then-President Moon Jae-in advocated a visit by Pope Francis to North Korea, hoping it could “give a boost to peace on the Korean Peninsula.” As part of the ongoing commitment to reconciliation in Korea, the Committee for National Reconciliation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea has promoted a “special novena for reconciliation and national unity” from June 17 to 25, which the faithful in all dioceses are observing. A delegation of nine Korean bishops recently visited Panmunjom, the famous Armistice Village located within the Demilitarized Zone on the border between the two Koreas, the exact spot where North and South Korean soldiers face each other just meters apart. On the visit, organized by the Committee for National Reconciliation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, the bishops toured the Joint Security Area and the DMZ, visiting symbolic sites of the peninsula’s division. The bishops entered the “House of Freedom,” which faces the North Korean side of the border, and looking north, blessed the land, pausing in prayer “that the winds of peace may once again blow across this land where a history of confrontation and dialogue coexist.” They then continued their meditation and prayer for reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.

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