President Lee Jae Myung meets Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday, as part of Lee’s first European tour since taking office in June last year. According to reporting, Lee uses the meeting to seek support from the Holy See for his administration’s efforts to build peace on the Korean Peninsula. In discussions with the pope, Lee is expected to raise initiatives aimed at easing tensions and promoting peace, while also expressing support for broader global peace and solidarity.
After the meeting with Pope Leo XIV, Lee is scheduled to meet Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, later the same day. The trip to Rome follows summits Lee held with leaders of Belgium as well as with the European Union and Italy earlier in the tour.
The accounts describe the pope meeting as focused on diplomacy and peacebuilding, with Lee presenting the direction of his government’s policy agenda and requesting Vatican engagement. The reporting does not provide details on any specific agreement or statements made during the meeting.
