Today, Friday 29 October 2021, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis received in audience His Excellency Mr. Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea, who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States.

During the cordial discussions, appreciation was expressed for the good bilateral relations between the States and for the positive contribution the Catholic Church offers to society, evoking particular diligence in the promotion of dialogue and reconciliation between Koreans. In this regard, hopes were shared that joint effort and goodwill may favor peace and development in the Korean peninsula, supported by solidarity and by a fraternity.

The talks then allowed an exchange of views on some themes regarding current regional affairs and humanitarian issues.

During the meeting, Pope Francis and Moon Jae-in exchanged gifts, with the Holy Father presenting him with a bronze medal depicting Bernini’s original design for St. Peter’s Square, volumes of papal documents, a copy of the Message for World Peace Day 2021, the Document on Human Fraternity signed in Abu Dhabi, and the book on the Statio Orbis of March 27, 2020, published by the Vatican Publishing House.

President Moon Jae-in reciprocated the Pope’s gesture, presenting him with a cross made of barbed wire from the demilitarized zone on the border with North Korea, reported Vatican News.

The South Korean president is in Rome for the G20 Summit to be held on 30 – 21 October, the first stop on the way to the UN COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

Moon was elected president in 2017 as the Democratic Party’s candidate following the impeachment and removal of Park Geun-hye. As president, Moon has achieved international attention for his meetings with North Korean Chairman Kim Jong-un at inter-Korean summits in April, May, and September 2018, making him the third South Korean president to meet their North Korean counterpart. On June 30, 2019, he met with both Kim and the president of the United States, Donald Trump, at the Korean Demilitarized Zone.