South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung meets Pope, calls for Korean‑peninsula peace

South Korean President Lee Jae‑myung visited the Vatican in Rome, attending a special Mass at St. Paul Outside the Walls presided over by Cardinal Yu Heung‑shik. In a speech he recalled the 26‑year anniversary of the June 15 inter‑Korean declaration, saying the “hope flame” of that historic agreement remains alive and urging the Vatican’s continued support for peace on the peninsula. The president subsequently held a private audience with Pope Leo XIV, where he is expected to reiterate his peace message.

During the trip Lee also addressed domestic issues. He condemned disruptive protest actions in Seoul’s Jamsil area as “serious obstruction of duties” and called for strict handling. He criticized Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong‑rae’s comments about a “short‑lived regime,” urging party unity and a “big‑bowl” role to mediate conflicts. Lee discussed economic, labour and space‑policy matters in a series of briefings, emphasizing market stability and youth policy.

The visit intertwined diplomatic outreach for Korean‑peninsula reconciliation with internal political messaging aimed at consolidating party discipline and responding to public unrest.