Pope Francis Invited to North Korea by Kim Jong Un The invitation to visit Pyongyang will be delivered by South Korean president Moon Jae-in, who will be in the Vatican next week during a trip to Europe. The gesture is reportedly designed to highlight peace efforts in the Korean peninsula. No other pope, other than the late Pope John Paul II, has ever been invited to North Korea. Kim Jong Il invited John Paul in 2000, but a trip never happened. North Korea and the Vatican have no formal diplomatic relations. North Korea's constitution promises a "right to faith," and state-controlled churches do exist. However, human rights activists say this is all largely for show.
