South Korea’s president meets Pope Leo XIV ahead of WYD

During the meetings held at the Secretariat of State, the two parties emphasized “the good relations between the Holy See and the Republic of Korea.” The “cordial talks” also highlighted “the positive contribution offered by the local Catholic Church to Korean society,” according to a press release published by the Holy See Press Office.

Specifically, the Holy See recognized the Catholic Church’s important presence in South Korea’s educational, hospital, and charitable sectors. Catholicism has grown spectacularly in the country in recent decades; it currently numbers around six million faithful, or more than 11% of the population.

The discussions also focused on the organization of the next World Youth Day, scheduled to take place in Seoul from August 3 to 8, 2027. This gathering is expected to include an apostolic journey by Pope Leo XIV to South Korea. He would thus walk in the footsteps of St. John Paul II, who visited in 1984 and 1989, and Pope Francis, who visited in 2014.

The Holy See specified that “certain aspects of the regional and international situation” were discussed. However, it didn’t explicitly mention the delicate question of dialogue with North Korea. While the ousted and now-imprisoned President Yoon was a supporter of a hardline approach toward the North Korean regime, Lee has promoted a policy of détente.

Just as former President Moon Jae-in did in October 2018, the current head of state—who is Protestant—participated in a Mass for peace and reconciliation between South and North Korea on Sunday, June 14, in Rome. Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, the South Korean prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, celebrated the liturgy at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

In his homily, Cardinal You Heung-sik expressed his hope that the Republic of Korea “can testify before the whole world that dialogue is stronger than confrontation, reconciliation stronger than hate, and trust stronger than fear.”