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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 10 OctOber 2018

Seoul says Kim Jong Un wants Pope Francis to visit N. Korea

By KIM TONG-HYUNG Francis visited South Ko-
Associated Press rea in August 2014. On the
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — plane ride back to Rome,
North Korean leader Kim he expressed hope that
Jong Un wants Pope Fran- the divisions would be
cis to visit the officially athe- overcome, saying "the two
ist country, South Korea Koreas are brothers, they
said Tuesday. speak the same language."
South Korea's presidential "When you speak the same
office said in a statement language it is because you
that Kim told President have the same mother,
Moon Jae-in during their and this gives us hope," the
summit last month that the pope said. "The suffering of
pope would be "enthusias- the division is great, and I
tically" welcomed in North understand this and pray
Korea. that it ends."
Kim has been intensely en- North Korea's reported
gaged in diplomacy in re- overture comes a few
cent months in what's seen weeks after the Vatican
as an effort to leverage his signed a landmark deal
nuclear weapons program with Communist China,
for an easing of economic North Korea's closest ally,
sanctions and military pres- over bishop nominations,
sure. aimed at ending decades
North Korea strictly controls In this Sept. 19, 2018, file photo, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during a joint press of tensions that contribut-
conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Paekhwawon State Guesthouse in
the religious activities of its Pyongyang, North Korea. ed to dividing the Chinese
people, and a similar invi- Associated Press church and hampered ef-
tation for then-Pope John forts at improving relations
Paul II to visit after a 2000 desire for a papal visit when ment on the possibility of a Vatican spokesman Greg between China and the
inter-Korean summit never he travels to the Vatican papal visit. But immediately Burke said the audience Vatican.
resulted in a meeting. The next week. Moon said on after the news, the Vati- will come a day after the Paolo Affatato, the Asia ed-
Vatican insisted at the time Monday that he expects can press office released a Vatican secretary of state, itor for Fides Catholic news
that a papal visit would Kim to visit Russia soon and statement confirming that Cardinal Pietro Parolin, cel- agency, said a visit by the
only be possible if Catholic possibly hold a summit with the pope would receive ebrates a Mass for peace pope to North Korea would
priests were accepted in Japanese Prime Minister South Korea's president in on the Korean Peninsula in "provide concrete support
North Korea. Shinzo Abe. an audience at the Vati- St. Peter's Basilica, where for the peace process" on
Moon plans to convey Kim's The Vatican did not com- can on Oct. 18. Moon will participate. the Korean Peninsula.q