President Moon to discuss North Korea with Italian political leaders as well Pope Francis
- 5 years ago
Let's start with the trip to Europe by South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
He's now in Italy for meetings with the country's president and prime minister.
The highlight, however, is expected to be his sit down with Pope Francis.
President Moon will again promote his efforts to bring North Korea into the fold as a responsible and peaceful player on the international scene.
Our Shin Se-min reports from Rome.
Rome is the second leg of President Moon Jae-in's five-nation trip around Europe.
After wrapping up his four-day state visit to France, where he shored up the tight relationship between the two sides,… the South Korean leader is looking to do the same in Italy, again, on the issue of his administration's engagement with North Korea.
President Moon will meet with the Italian president and prime minister on Wednesday,… before heading to the Vatican later in the day.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin will preside over a "Mass for Peace" on the Korean Peninsula at Saint Peter's Basilica,… in which President Moon, himself of the catholic faith, will participate.
It's a rare opportunity for President Moon and the Roman Catholic Church as the Vatican hardly ever holds a special mass for specific countries.
Prior to his arrival, President Moon wrote an article published in L'Osservatore Romano, a daily paper in the Holy See,... urging the Vatican to engage with North Korea and back Seoul's efforts to denuclearize the regime for the sake of peace in the region.
On Thursday, President Moon will sit down with Pope Francis for around an hour,... where he will relay an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for the pope to visit Pyeongyang.
The South Korean leader will then leave for Brussels for the Asia-Europe Summit or ASEM in the evening.
"Although it’s just the second leg of his marathon trip to Europe... much of the attention is focused on his two day stay in Rome and the Vatican as the world is keen to learn whether the head of the Roman Catholic Church will become the first Pontiff to visit the now not-so-reclusive regime of North Korea.
Shin Se-min, Arirang News, Rome."
He's now in Italy for meetings with the country's president and prime minister.
The highlight, however, is expected to be his sit down with Pope Francis.
President Moon will again promote his efforts to bring North Korea into the fold as a responsible and peaceful player on the international scene.
Our Shin Se-min reports from Rome.
Rome is the second leg of President Moon Jae-in's five-nation trip around Europe.
After wrapping up his four-day state visit to France, where he shored up the tight relationship between the two sides,… the South Korean leader is looking to do the same in Italy, again, on the issue of his administration's engagement with North Korea.
President Moon will meet with the Italian president and prime minister on Wednesday,… before heading to the Vatican later in the day.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin will preside over a "Mass for Peace" on the Korean Peninsula at Saint Peter's Basilica,… in which President Moon, himself of the catholic faith, will participate.
It's a rare opportunity for President Moon and the Roman Catholic Church as the Vatican hardly ever holds a special mass for specific countries.
Prior to his arrival, President Moon wrote an article published in L'Osservatore Romano, a daily paper in the Holy See,... urging the Vatican to engage with North Korea and back Seoul's efforts to denuclearize the regime for the sake of peace in the region.
On Thursday, President Moon will sit down with Pope Francis for around an hour,... where he will relay an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un for the pope to visit Pyeongyang.
The South Korean leader will then leave for Brussels for the Asia-Europe Summit or ASEM in the evening.
"Although it’s just the second leg of his marathon trip to Europe... much of the attention is focused on his two day stay in Rome and the Vatican as the world is keen to learn whether the head of the Roman Catholic Church will become the first Pontiff to visit the now not-so-reclusive regime of North Korea.
Shin Se-min, Arirang News, Rome."