Pope ready to visit Kim Jong Un’s North Korea

Pope Francis says he is not averse to visiting North Korea if he is invited by the country’s leaders.
The pope told a South Korean broadcaster in an interview that was partially released on Friday.
“I will go there as soon as they invite me. I’m saying they should invite me. I will not refuse. The purpose of my visit is always brotherly love,’’ Mr Francis told KBS.
North Koreans live under a dictatorship run by Kim Jong Un, the grandson of the original founder of the country.
North Koreans are generally not permitted to leave and few visitors are welcomed. The country has been locked down even tighter than usual since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Mr Francis told KBS that he has noted how the two countries have survived the war. Technically, the war that divided the peninsula into North and South Korea has never ended.
“You have suffered through the pains of war. So you know what war means. Work toward peace. I send my blessing and prayer for peace to everyone in both Koreas.’’
Mr Francis has hinted at a willingness to travel to North Korea in the past.
On Saturday, the Pope is expected to elevate South Korean bishop Lazarus You Heung-sik to cardinal status.
(dpa/NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette

Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Uncategorized
NLNG urges commercialisation of stranded gas, PIA incentives
NLNG has called for the commercialisation of stranded gas resources, the development of interconnected infrastructure, and the full implementation of incentives under the PIA.

Politics
ADC, APC, NDC, PDP face legal threat over exorbitant nomination fees
The Citizens Platform for Political Inclusion has issued pre-action notices to major political parties over exorbitant nomination and expression-of-interest fees.

Education
Anambra: Five corps members get automatic employment, nine to repeat service
Nine National Youth Service Corps members in Anambra will repeat their service year for absconding from the mandatory exercise.

World
Israeli intelligence reveals Iran’s fresh plot to assassinate Trump
The Wall Street Journal on Thursday cited sources familiar with the matter, saying that Iran has “hatched a fresh plot to kill Trump”.

Rights
Police officers searching civilians’ phones without court warrant is criminal: CP
“No personnel of this command has the legal authority to search the mobile phone of any citizen on the road without a court warrant,” said the CP.

States
Adamawa govt warns against defacing public infrastructure with campaign posters
The Adamawa government says the conviction and N3 million fine imposed on an ADC governorship aspirant signal stricter enforcement of laws against defacing public infrastructure.





