Pope Leo XIV open to North Korea visit, support peace efforts on Korean Peninsula
Whether Pope Leo XIV will visit North Korea hinges on Pyongyang’s response, as the pontiff has expressed readiness to support peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula, South Korea-born Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik said Sunday, Yonhap reports.
Speaking to reporters after celebrating a special Mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, attended by President Lee Jae Myung, Cardinal You emphasized that the initiative rests with North Korea.
“As I see it, it depends on North Korea,” he noted, stressing that the invitation and conditions must come from Pyongyang.
Seoul has sought to engage the Vatican in its peace-building efforts, including the possibility of a papal visit. The late Pope Francis had also voiced willingness to travel to North Korea.
Cardinal You added that a visit by Pope Leo XIV, who is American-born, could help mobilize Catholic support in the United States and potentially enable the Vatican to play a role in North Korea-U.S. relation.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had congratulated Pope Leo XIV on the 1st anniversary of pontificate.