Will Pope Leo XIV Become the First Pope to Visit North Korea During His Trip to South Korea Next Year?

As reports emerge that Pope Leo XIV has expressed a positive stance toward President Lee Jae-myung's request for a visit to North Korea, attention is focusing on whether he could become the first pope to set foot in the North.

According to the Holy See and the presidential office on June 19, Pope Leo XIV reportedly responded to President Lee's request during their meeting at the Vatican on June 15 by saying he would "actively consider and pursue it."

During a briefing on the results of his tour of Europe and the G7 summit earlier today, President Lee stated, "I requested the Pope to visit South Korea for the World Youth Day to be held in Seoul next year, and I also asked him to consider visiting North Korea, if possible, as part of his trip, including a visit to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)."

Since his inauguration in May last year, Pope Leo XIV has not explicitly expressed an intention to visit North Korea.

Amid international issues such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the U.S.-Iran conflict, the Pope's messages have primarily focused on ending wars and restoring dialogue and diplomacy.

However, given the Pope's consistent emphasis on peace and the unique circumstances of the Korean Peninsula as the world's only divided nation, the consensus within and outside the Vatican is that a visit to North Korea could be a highly symbolic initiative.

This is also why the government is pinning its hopes on the possibility of a papal visit to the North ahead of next year's World Youth Day.

The Pope's special connection with South Korea is another factor raising expectations for a visit to the North.

During his time as the Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine, the Pope visited South Korea five times, and he is considered to have a deep understanding of Korean society.

The fact that North Korea has been making efforts to project the image of a "normal state" to the international community since the launch of the Kim Jong-un regime is also cited as a factor that could increase the possibility of a visit by the head of the global Catholic Church.

The key remains whether North Korea will extend an invitation.

While past popes, including John Paul II and Francis, have visited South Korea, no pope has ever stepped onto North Korean soil.

In 2018, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un expressed his intention to invite Pope Francis, but it did not lead to an actual visit.

Recent developments, such as North Korea's closer ties with Russia and China, which have led to a more rigid foreign policy stance by Chairman Kim, are also considered obstacles.

In particular, some analysts suggest that because Pope Leo XIV has issued critical messages against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, it may be difficult for North Korea to find a justification for inviting the Pope while considering its relationship with Russia.

The North Korean regime's closed nature regarding religious activities is also expected to be a hurdle.

It is reported that during the process of pursuing Pope Francis's visit to North Korea in 2018, the Vatican had prepared a plan to demand that North Korea recognize the freedom of missionary work.

Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, stating that the possibility of a papal visit to North Korea "depends on North Korea," is interpreted as taking such circumstances into account.

A religious official remarked, "While there are many obstacles to overcome before a papal visit to North Korea can actually be realized, the pursuit of the visit itself could serve as a positive message."
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.