SEOUL, June 16 (AJP) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Seoul for the 2027 World Youth Day gathering, raising hopes that the trip could become a stepping stone toward the first papal visit to North Korea as Seoul revives its push for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The invitation came during Lee's 30-minute one-on-one meeting with the pope at the Vatican, where the two leaders discussed dialogue, reconciliation and ways to improve relations between the two Koreas.
The meeting marked the first known discussion between Lee and Pope Leo XIV on Korean Peninsula issues since the pontiff's election earlier this year and signaled Seoul's intention to once again enlist the Vatican's moral authority to support regional peace efforts.
National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said Lee explained South Koreans' aspirations for peace and outlined his government's policy vision while reaffirming the Vatican's support for reconciliation.
"Both sides shared the view that dialogue, reconciliation and cooperation remain necessary despite current difficulties," Wi told reporters.
According to South Korean officials, ways to improve inter-Korean relations were discussed, and the possibility of a future papal visit to North Korea was also believed to have been raised, although neither side disclosed details.
The Vatican later issued a statement confirming Lee's audience with the pope as well as his separate meeting with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
No pope has ever visited North Korea despite repeated efforts over the past quarter-century.
The first notable attempt came in 2001, when South Korean Catholic leaders formally asked Pope John Paul II to visit Pyongyang, arguing that such a trip could help advance reconciliation between the two Koreas. Church officials at the time said North Korean leader Kim Jong Il had indicated a willingness to invite the pope.
The strongest push came in 2018 during a period of active inter-Korean diplomacy.
Then-President Moon Jae-in personally conveyed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's invitation to Pope Francis during a visit to the Vatican.
Francis responded positively, saying he would be willing to visit if he received a formal invitation from Pyongyang.
South Korean officials said at the time that the pope strongly supported efforts to advance peace on the Korean Peninsula and encouraged Seoul to continue pursuing dialogue.
Despite those exchanges, the visit never materialized as diplomatic momentum faded.
The idea also survived into the administration of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Rep. Kwon Young-se, a five-term lawmaker who served as unification minister under Yoon, told AJP that Pope Francis had been particularly enthusiastic about visiting North Korea.
"Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, who is close to the pope, was also very supportive of a visit to North Korea, so I discussed the issue of a papal visit with him many times," Kwon said.
According to Kwon, the Vatican had already created a favorable atmosphere internally and made its own efforts to facilitate such a trip.
However, Pyongyang never responded.
"The Catholic Church, unlike Protestantism or Buddhism, exclusively dispatches priests from the Vatican, and I heard from the Vatican that North Korea is very uncomfortable with priests entering the country from outside," he said.
"I hope a papal visit to North Korea can be realized, but it will probably be very difficult to make it happen," he added.
Still, Seoul sees an opportunity in 2027.
South Korea will host 2027 World Youth Day, one of the Catholic Church's largest global events, which typically attracts hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims from around the world.
If Pope Leo XIV accepts Lee's invitation, it would mark the first papal visit to South Korea since Pope Francis visited in 2014.
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