Lead
President Lee Jae Myung met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on June 15, 2026, and formally invited the pope to visit South Korea for World Youth Day 2027, according to a presidential official. The meeting was part of Lee's broader European tour, which also included summits with leaders of Belgium, the European Union, and Italy.
During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to cooperate closely to ensure a successful hosting of World Youth Day, national security adviser Wi Sung-lac said in a press briefing. Lee also briefed the pope on South Korea's initiative to build peace on the Korean Peninsula, and the Vatican reaffirmed its support for facilitating peace on the peninsula, Wi noted.
Coverage Comparison
Yonhap News Agency provided multiple reports on the meeting, spanning from the initial anticipation to the aftermath. A pre-meeting report noted that Lee was expected to ask for the Vatican's support for his peace initiatives. Subsequent reports confirmed the invitation and detailed the discussions. One report described the meeting as potentially more than a diplomatic courtesy, emphasizing the significance of a papal visit for peace efforts. Another report highlighted Lee's later remarks that he had asked the pope to visit North Korea and the Demilitarized Zone, and that the pope responded he would "actively pursue" the proposal.
Key Claims
- President Lee Jae Myung invited Pope Leo XIV to visit South Korea for World Youth Day 2027 during their meeting at the Vatican.
- The two leaders agreed to cooperate closely for a successful World Youth Day 2027.
- Lee sought the Holy See's support for his administration's efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula.
- The possibility of a papal visit to North Korea was discussed during the meeting.
- Lee asked Pope Leo XIV to visit North Korea and the Demilitarized Zone; the pope said he would actively pursue the proposal.
- Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Clergy, expressed hope for a papal visit to North Korea and highlighted the absence of Catholic clergy there.
- In a statement to Fides News Agency, the Vatican's news agency, Lee described dialogue and encounter as essential paths toward peace and highlighted the importance of World Youth Day 2027.