Vatican Cardinal Says Papal Visit to North Korea Depends on Pyongyang's Will

Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik told journalists that any potential papal visit to North Korea would depend on the willingness of the Pyongyang government. The South Korean cardinal made the remarks on Saturday while celebrating a solemn mass at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, attended by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. The comments highlight the Vatican's ongoing diplomatic efforts regarding the Korean Peninsula, where Pope Francis has previously expressed interest in visiting North Korea if invited, though no formal invitation has materialized from the isolated communist state.