Papal North Korea Visit Hinges on Pyongyang’s Attitude, Says Senior Cardinal

A possible visit by Pope Leo XIV to North Korea will depend largely on Pyongyang’s attitude and the state of relations between North Korea and the United States, a senior South Korean cardinal said recently.

Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, the prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy, made this statement during his visit to South Korea for his summer vacation. He emphasized that the possibility of a papal visit to North Korea depends on the position of the North Korean authorities and the relations between North Korea and the United States.

Cardinal You expressed hope that a small door could open to expand relations between the two nations, which would create an opportunity for a papal visit to North Korea. He stressed that the state of relations between North Korea and the United States is the most important factor in determining the possibility of a papal visit to North Korea.

Cardinal You also discussed the possibility of Pope Leo XIV appointing another South Korean cardinal. He stated that the decision to appoint a cardinal rests entirely with the pope and that the appointment of cardinals is entirely at the pope’s discretion.

During his visit to South Korea, Cardinal You met with President Lee Jae Myung, who invited Pope Leo to visit South Korea and attend World Youth Day in Seoul from August 3-8, 2027. The possibility of a papal visit to North Korea was also discussed during their meeting.

Cardinal You expressed his hope that the new pope, Pope Leo XIV, could play a role in promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula. He recalled that he had a strong intuition that the new pope would do something for peace on the Korean Peninsula after his election in 2025.

Cardinal You also discussed the preparations for World Youth Day in Seoul, which is expected to bring Catholic young people from around the world to Seoul for religious services, cultural events, and meetings with church leaders. He called for government assistance with preparations, including more flexible visa requirements for international participants.

Cardinal You also addressed questions about exorcism and Opus Dei, a personal prelature of the Catholic Church that is under the Vatican dicastery’s jurisdiction for matters involving the Holy See. He stressed that exorcism must never be connected with demands for money and that priests should avoid unnecessary physical contact during an exorcism, particularly when ministering to women.

He also supported the establishment of Opus Dei activities in South Korea while serving as bishop of Daejeon. However, he declined to speculate about the organization’s future position under the new pope.

Cardinal You noted that the Catholic Church in South Korea has produced four cardinals, including Cardinal Stephen Kim Sou-hwan, who became South Korea’s first cardinal in 1969. He also mentioned that Cardinal Nicholas Cheong Jin-suk died in 2021, and that Cardinal Andrew Yeom Soo-jung, the retired archbishop of Seoul, and he are the two surviving South Korean cardinals.

He also mentioned that Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul is a possible future cardinal because he leads the country’s largest archdiocese and serves as president of the local organizing committee for World Youth Day Seoul 2027.

Cardinal You also expressed his hope that time comes soon for a papal visit to North Korea, which would create an opportunity to expand relations between North Korea and the United States.

He also stressed that conditions inside North Korea would have to change before a papal visit could realistically take place. He noted that there are Protestant ministers, Buddhist monks, and Russian Orthodox priests in North Korea, but there is not a single resident Catholic bishop, priest, or nun.

However, he mentioned that Catholics live in North Korea, and some foreign diplomats posted in Pyongyang are also Catholic. He suggested that having one or two resident priests at Jangchung Cathedral in Pyongyang could help create an atmosphere more favorable to a papal visit.

Cardinal You also noted that North Korea officially recognizes the Korean Catholic Association and maintains Jangchung Cathedral, but the Holy See does not have formal diplomatic relations with Pyongyang.

He also mentioned that the appointment of another Korean cardinal is possible, but it would depend on the decision of Pope Leo XIV. He stressed that the appointment of cardinals is entirely at the pope’s discretion.

Cardinal You also discussed the preparations for World Youth Day in Seoul, which is expected to bring Catholic young people from around the world to Seoul for religious services, cultural events, and meetings with church leaders. He called for government assistance with preparations, including more flexible visa requirements for international participants.