SEOUL, South Korea — Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, which has been condemned as one of the worst suppressors of religious freedom in the world, has invited Pope Francis to visit his country, South Korea’s government said Tuesday.

The invitation will be relayed by South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, a Roman Catholic, when he visits the Vatican for two days next week to seek the pope’s help in easing tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula, said Kim Eui-kyeom, a spokesman of Mr. Moon.

Mr. Moon met with Mr. Kim in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, last month.

“If the pope visits Pyongyang, we will give him a rousing welcome,” Mr. Kim told Mr. Moon, according to Mr. Moon’s spokesman.

There was no immediate comment from the Vatican on whether Francis would accept the invitation, but it is considered highly unlikely.</s>Kim Jong Un has followed up on a recommendation from South Korean President Moon Jae-in to invite Pope Francis to Pyongyang, according to a South Korean press report. File Photo by KCNA/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Kim Jong Un has invited Pope Francis to Pyongyang, and has said he would "warmly welcome" him to North Korea in what would be a historic visit to the country by the head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The North Korean leader may have taken a recommendation from South Korean President Moon Jae-in to extend an invitation to the pope, following the most recent inter-Korea summit in Pyongyang, South Korean newspaper Hankyoreh reported Tuesday.

Kim's willingness to host Francis could be a sign North Korea is ready to take unprecedented steps to joining the international community.

"President Moon had said the Pyongyang summit must receive the support of the international community, and suggested [inviting the pope] would be one way" of earning trust, a South Korean presidential Blue House source told Hankyoreh.

Pope Francis has previously vocalized his support for inter-Korea détente and the easing of tensions on the peninsula.

"I support the courageous decisions of the North and South Korean leaders," the pope said following the first summit in Panmunjom in April.

South Korean Archbishop Kim Hee-jung of Gwangju, who accompanied Moon to the last summit, said the North Korean leader asked him in September to deliver a message to Pope Francis -- to work toward reconciliation on the peninsula.

The South Korean cleric also said Kim Jong Un "bowed" after he said he would deliver the message to the Vatican.

Since the summit, the archbishop said he has met with Francis.

The pope has yet to respond to Kim's invitation.

South Korean diplomats at the Vatican said it is difficult to predict whether Francis will accept the chance to go to Pyongyang, Yonhap reported Tuesday.

The pope has previously brokered agreements between the United States and Cuba and urged Colombians to push for peace in 2017.</s>Seoul, Oct 9 (IANS) North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has invited Pope Francis to visit Pyongyang, the South Korean presidential office said on Tuesday.

The invitation was revealed during a press briefing here about South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s upcoming visit to Europe, which includes a trip to the Vatican on October 17 and 18.

“Chairman Kim (Jong-un) said he will ‘ardently welcome the Pope if he visits Pyongyang’,” said presidential spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom, according to Yonhap news agency.

Moon and Kim have met three times this year, with the last meeting taking place in September in Pyongyang.

“Moon will deliver this message from the Pyongyang leader when he meets the Pope,” the spokesperson said, adding that the South Korean leader will also seek the Vatican’s support for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula.

The Pope has in the past supported dialogue between the two Koreas and the historic summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump, which took place in Singapore on June 12.</s>North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants Pope Francis to visit the officially atheist country, South Korea said Tuesday.

South Korea’s presidential office said in a statement that Kim told President Moon Jae-in during their summit last month that the pope would be “enthusiastically” welcomed in North Korea.

Kim has been intensely engaged in diplomacy in recent months in what’s seen as an effort to leverage his nuclear weapons program for an easing of economic sanctions and military pressure.

READ MORE: Kremlin preparing to welcome Kim Jong Un to Russia

North Korea strictly controls the religious activities of its people, and a similar invitation for then-Pope John Paul II to visit after a 2000 inter-Korean summit never resulted in a meeting. The Vatican insisted at the time that a papal visit would only be possible if Catholic priests were accepted in North Korea.

Moon plans to convey Kim’s desire for a papal visit when he travels to the Vatican next week. Moon said on Monday that he expects Kim to visit Russia soon and possibly hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Moon did not comment on the likelihood of a papal visit. The Vatican confirmed that the pope would receive Moon on Oct. 18, but had no immediate comment on the possibility of a visit by the pope to North Korea.

Following an unusually provocative run of weapons tests last year, Kim has been on a diplomatic offensive since the start of this year.

WATCH: Trump says he fell in love with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un

He initiated offers for summits with Seoul and Washington, which led to three meetings with Moon and a highly choreographed June summit with U.S. President Donald Trump at which they issued an aspirational goal of a nuclear-free peninsula, without describing how or when it would occur.

Kim has presented himself as an international statesman, sharing food, wine and laughs with South Korean officials and appearing thoroughly at ease during his meeting with Trump in Singapore.

But post-summit nuclear negotiations between North Korea and the United States got off to a rocky start, with the North accusing Washington of making “gangster-like” unilateral demands for denuclearization, and calling for sanctions to be lifted before any further progress in nuclear talks.

READ MORE: Pompeo, Kim Jong Un agree to arrange second summit between U.S. and North Korea

There are doubts whether Kim is willing to fully relinquish his country’s nuclear weapons, which he may see as a stronger guarantee of survival than whatever security assurances the United States could provide.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Kim in Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, on Sunday for talks on setting up a second summit with Trump.

The Vatican’s priests were expelled by North Korea long ago and state-appointed laymen officiate services.

Estimates of the number of North Korean Catholics range from 800 to about 3,000, compared to more than 5 million in South Korea.</s>South Korea says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants Pope Francis to visit North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants Pope Francis to visit North Korea.</s>SEOUL – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has invited Pope Francis to Pyongyang, South Korea’s presidential Blue House said on Tuesday.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in will deliver Kim’s invitation when he meets Francis next week during his trip to Europe, Blue House spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom told a news briefing.

During the summit of the two leaders last month, Kim told Moon he wanted to invite the pope to North Korea, the spokesperson added.</s>North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has invited Pope Francis to meet in Pyongyang, a South Korean spokesman said Tuesday.

Pope Francis is already set to meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in Oct. 18 for an audience at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, where Moon will personally deliver the invitation from Kim Jong Un.

President Moon, a Catholic, will also participate in a Mass for peace on the Korean peninsula in St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 17 celebrated by the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

During the most recent summit between Korean leaders in September, Kim told Moon that he would “greatly welcome” the pope Pyongyang, according to South Korea’s presidential office.

On Oct. 7, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Kim Jong Un in North Korea to discuss details for a second summit between President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim to continue negotiation of the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, according to the State Department.

“One of the key pillars of the statement between Chairman Kim and President Trump was that we would have better relationships, confidence-building measures. We would fundamentally change the nature of North Korea’s relationship with the rest of the world,” Secretary Pompeo told press in South Korea on Oct. 8 after the meeting with Kim.

Vatican Secretary for Relations with States Paul Gallagher visited the Joint Security Area on the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea on July 5, where he said, “it is a very historic period, a period of hope and the Holy Father is supporting that movement.”

“I am sure with the prayers and support of Christians and other men and women in good faith around the world that many good things will be achieved in the coming months. We pray for that,” Archbishop Gallagher said during the visit.

Diplomatic negotiations continued at the third inter-Korean summit between Kim and Moon, which took place on Sept. 18 in Pyongyang during a week in which Catholics in South Korea celebrated the peninsula’s martyr saints.

The First Lady of South Korea, Kim Jung-sook, participated in the Mass with Korean bishops as a part of the festivities. She asked for prayers for the diplomatic negotiations at Seoul’s Myeongdong Cathedral days prior to heading to Pyongyang for the summit.

Twenty-five million people live in North Korea, which has one of the worst human rights records in the world. A United Nations investigation in 2014 produced a 372-page report that documented crimes against humanity, including execution, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, forced abortions, and knowingly causing prolonged starvation.

There are currently an estimated 80,000 to 120,000 people in North Korea’s six political prison camps, in which the U.S. State Department has found evidence of starvation, forced labor, and torture.

South Korean bishops have been leading Catholics in prayer for the reconciliation and unity of the divided Korean peninsula for decades.

“Since 1965, the Korean Catholic Church has been praying for the true peace of the two Koreas and the reconciliation of the nation,” Archbishop Kim Hee-Jung of Gwangju wrote in April following the first meeting between the Korean leaders. chairman of the Korean bishops’ conference in April.

“Through these prayers, something miraculous is happening in this land by the help of God for whom nothing will be impossible,” Archbishop Kim continued.

“Until the day when complete peace is established on the Korean peninsula and divided peoples are united, the Catholic Church of Korea will accompany the journey for reconciliation of the people in unity.”</s>FILE - In this Sept. 19, 2018, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a joint press conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Paekhwawon State Guesthouse in Pyongyang, North Korea. South Korea says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants Pope Francis to visit North Korea. South Korea’s presidential office in a statement on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018, said Kim told President Moon Jae-in during their summit last month that the pope would be “enthusiastically” welcomed in Pyongyang. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP, File)</s>SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has invited Pope Francis to visit Pyongyang in a gesture designed to highlight peace efforts on the Korean peninsula, South Korea's presidential office said on Tuesday (Oct 9).

North Korea and the Vatican have no formal diplomatic relations. South Korean President Moon Jae-in will deliver Kim's invitation when he meets Francis next week during a trip to Europe, Blue House spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said.

"President Moon will visit the Vatican on Oct 17 and 18 to reaffirm its blessing and support for peace and stability of the Korean peninsula," the spokesman told a news briefing.

"Especially when he meets with Pope Francis, he will convey Chairman Kim's message that he will ardently welcome him if he visits Pyongyang."

Kim told Moon of his wish to meet the pope during last month's summit of the two leaders, the spokesman added, without elaborating on the timing. The pope has said he wants to visit Japan next year.

North Korea's constitution guarantees freedom of religion as long as it does not undermine the state, but beyond a handful of state-controlled places of worship, no open religious activity is allowed.

The invitation to the pope is the first by a North Korean leader since 2000. Although that meeting, proposed by Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, never materialised, the plan for Francis to visit is the North's latest diplomatic initiative this year.

Kim held an unprecedented summit with US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June, and pledged to work toward denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.

While Kim's actions since have fallen short of Washington's demands, the Trump administration is preparing for a second summit.

Before they turned the page on decades of public acrimony, the leaders regularly traded threats and insults as North Korea pushed to develop a nuclear missile capable of hitting the United States.

The two Koreas held three summits this year, following years of confrontation marked by the North's nuclear and missile tests.

READ: Pompeo says North Korea's Kim ready to allow inspectors into nuclear, missile sites



Moon's Europe tour, scheduled for Oct 13 to 21, is primarily to attend the Asia–Europe Meeting in Belgium and includes stops in France, Italy and Denmark, his office said.</s>Seoul says Kim Jong Un wants Pope Francis to visit N. Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants Pope Francis to visit the officially atheist country, South Korea said Tuesday.

South Korea's presidential office said in a statement that Kim told President Moon Jae-in during their summit last month that the pope would be "enthusiastically" welcomed in North Korea.

Kim has been intensely engaged in diplomacy in recent months in what's seen as an effort to leverage his nuclear weapons program for an easing of economic sanctions and military pressure.

North Korea strictly controls the religious activities of its people, and a similar invitation for then-Pope John Paul II to visit after a 2000 inter-Korean summit never resulted in a meeting. The Vatican insisted at the time that a papal visit would only be possible if Catholic priests were accepted in North Korea.

Moon plans to convey Kim's desire for a papal visit when he travels to the Vatican next week. Moon said on Monday that he expects Kim to visit Russia soon and possibly hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The Vatican did not comment on the possibility of a papal visit. But immediately after the news, the Vatican press office released a statement confirming that the pope would receive South Korea's president in an audience at the Vatican on Oct. 18.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said the audience will come a day after the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, celebrates a Mass for peace on the Korean Peninsula in St. Peter's Basilica, where Moon will participate.

Francis visited South Korea in August 2014. On the plane ride back to Rome, he expressed hope that the divisions would be overcome, saying "the two Koreas are brothers, they speak the same language."

"When you speak the same language it is because you have the same mother, and this gives us hope," the pope said. "The suffering of the division is great, and I understand this and pray that it ends."

North Korea's reported overture comes a few weeks after the Vatican signed a landmark deal with Communist China, North Korea's closest ally, over bishop nominations, aimed at ending decades of tensions that contributed to dividing the Chinese church and hampered efforts at improving relations between China and the Vatican.

Paolo Affatato, the Asia editor for Fides Catholic news agency, said a visit by the pope to North Korea would "provide concrete support for the peace process" on the Korean Peninsula.

"North Korea can be seen in the framework of great attention that the pope and Holy See are paying to East Asia" with a clear awareness of the "political and diplomatic dividends that peace would bring on a global level," he said.

Following an unusually provocative run of weapons tests last year, Kim has been on a diplomatic offensive since the start of this year.

He initiated offers for summits with Seoul and Washington, which led to three meetings with Moon and a highly choreographed June summit with U.S. President Donald Trump at which they issued an aspirational goal of a nuclear-free peninsula, without describing how or when it would occur.

Kim has presented himself as an international statesman, sharing food, wine and laughs with South Korean officials and appearing thoroughly at ease during his meeting with Trump in Singapore.

But post-summit nuclear negotiations between North Korea and the United States got off to a rocky start, with the North accusing Washington of making "gangster-like" unilateral demands for denuclearization, and calling for sanctions to be lifted before any further progress in nuclear talks.

There are doubts whether Kim is willing to fully relinquish his country's nuclear weapons, which he may see as a stronger guarantee of survival than whatever security assurances the United States could provide.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Kim in Pyongyang, North Korea's capital, on Sunday for talks on setting up a second summit with Trump.

The Vatican's priests were expelled by North Korea long ago and state-appointed laymen officiate services.

Estimates of the number of North Korean Catholics range from 800 to about 3,000, compared to more than 5 million in South Korea.

Affatato said Catholics meet in a church in Pyongyang, one of three churches that exist in North Korea.

Associated Press writer Colleen Barry in Milan contributed to this report.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un invites Pope Francis to Pyongyang, and said he would be "warmly welcomed" to North Korea.