(VOVworld) - Pope Francis arrived in the Republic of Korea on Thursday, starting his 5-day visit to the country and his first visit to Asia since he became Pope last March.
The Republic of Korean President Park Geun-hye welcomed the Pope at Seongnam airport in southeastern Seoul. An official reception for the Pope will take place at Korean President’s Office on Thursday followed by talks between President Park Geun-hye and Pope Francis.
President Park Geun-hye is scheduled to deliver a speech on inter-Korean relations while Pope Francis will convey a message of peace, stressing reconciliation efforts on the Korean peninsula.
Pope Francis will beatify Korean Catholics who died for their faith, attend a Catholic youth festival and conduct a "reconciliation" mass.