Vatican City: South Korean President moon jae-in Gave Pope Francis Officials said a statue of a cross made of barbed wire from the demilitarized zone separating Korea and told them on Friday that a papal visit to the north would help build “the momentum for peace” on the peninsula.
Moon, a Catholic, met with Francis before the start of the Group of 20 summit in Rome.
The Vatican, which did not allow free media in the audience, said the talks touched on the Catholic Church’s role in promoting dialogue and said “hopes were shared that joint efforts and goodwill can favor peace and development on the Korean Peninsula.” is supported by solidarity and fraternity.”
Ahead of the visit, South Korean presidential officials said they expected Moon and Francis to officially discuss a possible papal visit to the atheist north, as Francis had previously expressed his desire to visit if it was possible. The Vatican made no mention of a possible visit in its statement on Friday and none are believed to be currently under consideration.
Moon first floated the idea of a papal visit to the North in 2018 when he revealed that the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Korean leaders said during a summit that the pope would be “enthusiastically” welcomed.
Kim was then actively engaged in diplomacy with Seoul and Trump Administration in an effort to take advantage of its nuclear programs to facilitate US-led economic sanctions. But diplomacy was derailed and the North also cut off cooperation with South Korea, while expressing disappointment over the Moon government’s inability to secure concessions on its behalf from Washington.
Moon told the pope on Friday that if he gets a chance to visit North Korea, it will “build momentum for” peace in korean peninsulaMoon’s spokesman Park Kyung-mi said, “And that” the South Koreans have high hopes (for a papal visit to the north).
Park said Francis told Moon that he would “happily travel” to the north if he received an official invitation, so that he could help the Korean people and contribute to peace. He described the people of both Koreas as “brothers sharing the same language”.
During the exchange of gifts, Francis presented Moon with a medallion copying Bernini’s original plan for St. Peter’s Square. The design envisions two main colonnades of the Vatican Piazza embracing humanity in the church. He also gave them copies of some of his main texts, one of which outlines his vision for a more human fraternity.
The Moon Cross was sculpted from the barbed wire of the DMZ. An accompanying note, written in Spanish, states that his hope was that the thorns and iron used to make barbed wire could be used as a symbol of peace.
The note read, “I solemnly pray that this cross takes root and peace flourishes.”
Moon, a Catholic, met with Francis before the start of the Group of 20 summit in Rome.
The Vatican, which did not allow free media in the audience, said the talks touched on the Catholic Church’s role in promoting dialogue and said “hopes were shared that joint efforts and goodwill can favor peace and development on the Korean Peninsula.” is supported by solidarity and fraternity.”
Ahead of the visit, South Korean presidential officials said they expected Moon and Francis to officially discuss a possible papal visit to the atheist north, as Francis had previously expressed his desire to visit if it was possible. The Vatican made no mention of a possible visit in its statement on Friday and none are believed to be currently under consideration.
Moon first floated the idea of a papal visit to the North in 2018 when he revealed that the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Korean leaders said during a summit that the pope would be “enthusiastically” welcomed.
Kim was then actively engaged in diplomacy with Seoul and Trump Administration in an effort to take advantage of its nuclear programs to facilitate US-led economic sanctions. But diplomacy was derailed and the North also cut off cooperation with South Korea, while expressing disappointment over the Moon government’s inability to secure concessions on its behalf from Washington.
Moon told the pope on Friday that if he gets a chance to visit North Korea, it will “build momentum for” peace in korean peninsulaMoon’s spokesman Park Kyung-mi said, “And that” the South Koreans have high hopes (for a papal visit to the north).
Park said Francis told Moon that he would “happily travel” to the north if he received an official invitation, so that he could help the Korean people and contribute to peace. He described the people of both Koreas as “brothers sharing the same language”.
During the exchange of gifts, Francis presented Moon with a medallion copying Bernini’s original plan for St. Peter’s Square. The design envisions two main colonnades of the Vatican Piazza embracing humanity in the church. He also gave them copies of some of his main texts, one of which outlines his vision for a more human fraternity.
The Moon Cross was sculpted from the barbed wire of the DMZ. An accompanying note, written in Spanish, states that his hope was that the thorns and iron used to make barbed wire could be used as a symbol of peace.
The note read, “I solemnly pray that this cross takes root and peace flourishes.”
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