Pope Francis to visit DPRK if officially invited

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Pope Francis says he is willing to visit Pyongyang if the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) delivers an official invitation.

He made the comment during a meeting with the Republic of Korea's (ROK) President Moon Jae-in at the Vatican on Thursday at which Moon delivered a verbal invitation from the DPRK's leader Kim Jong Un, according to Moon's Press Secretary Yoon Young-chan.

The pope also expressed his support for Moon's peace efforts.

The ROK's President Moon Jae-in meets with Pope Francis at the Vatican, October 18, 2018. /VCG Photo

"I strongly support the South Korean (ROK) government's efforts that are pushing for a peace process on the Korean Peninsula," Pope Francis was quoted as telling Moon through an interpreter.

Thursday's behind-closed-doors meeting between President Moon and Pope Francis was held with only the ROK's priest Han Hyun-taek in attendance serving as an interpreter.

If the visit happens it would be the very first time a pope would visit the DPRK.

According to Seoul, Kim extended the papal invitation during his third summit with Moon Jae-in in Pyongyang last month.

Moon visited the pope at the Vatican as part of his nine-day European tour, which has seen him visit France, Italy and now Belgium where he is currently attending an Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit along with 50 other European and Asian leaders.

The ROK's president has been pressing EU nations to play a greater role in the denuclearization diplomacy currently underway on the Korean peninsula including a mediation role between Pyongyang and Washington.

ROK President Moon Jae-in and his wife arrives at Brussels for the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), October 18, 2018. /VCG Photo

While inter-Korean cooperation continues to grow the broader nuclear diplomacy has largely stalled, with Washington demanding Pyongyang give up all its nuclear weapons in return for sanctions relief while Pyongyang insists the process should be reciprocal.

Moon has also asked EU nations to consider easing sanctions targeting the DPRK if Pyongyang takes concrete steps towards denuclearization.

“If it is deemed that the denuclearization of North Korea (DPRK) has reached an irreversible stage, we should accelerate the denuclearization process by easing international sanctions on North Korea,” President Moon said in a bilateral summit with French President Emmanuel Macron at the start of his European tour.

The stance puts Moon at odds with Washington that sanctions should only be lifted at the end of the process.

While in Brussels, Moon is expected to hold one-on-one meetings with Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

He will head to Denmark from Belgium, which will be his last stop.