Korean Catholic Church and Vatican officials to hold talks on preparations for Pope's Seoul visit

Officials of the South Korean Catholic Church left Seoul Sunday to hold working-level talks with Vatican officials on preparations for Pope Francis' visit to the country in August.

The talks are slated for April 7-9 (Vatican time).

Pope Francis plans to visit South Korea from Aug. 14 to Aug. 18 to attend a meeting of Asian Catholic youths and carry out a beatification ceremony for the 124 Korean martyrs.

Pope Francis would be the second pontiff to visit the country. The late Pope John Paul II traveled to Seoul twice – one in 1984 and the other in 1989.

AJP