Newly elected Pope Leo XIV is seen in this AP photo. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, May 9 (Korea Bizwire) — Newly elected Pope Leo XIV is expected to visit South Korea in 2027 to attend World Youth Day, marking what would be the fourth papal visit to the country and his first as pontiff.
If confirmed, the trip would make him the third pope to set foot in South Korea, following Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.
The groundwork for the visit was laid by his predecessor, who announced Seoul as the host city for the next World Youth Day at the end of the 2023 gathering in Lisbon.
World Youth Day is a major event that brings together Catholic youths from around the world for prayer, fellowship, and interaction with the pope. The global gathering is typically held every two to three years, with the pope’s attendance considered a central element.
The Vatican has traditionally honored World Youth Day commitments even amid transitions in the papacy. In 2005, Pope Benedict XVI traveled to Cologne, Germany, for the event just months after the death of Pope John Paul II, who had designated the city as host.
If Pope Leo XIV travels to Seoul in 2027, it will mark the first papal visit to South Korea since Pope Francis’ trip in 2014. Pope John Paul II visited twice, in 1984 and 1989.
Leo XIV, formerly the Superior General of the Order of Saint Augustine, visited the country in 2002, 2005 and 2008 in that capacity.
Hosting World Youth Day is expected to boost South Korea’s international visibility and religious engagement. The Archdiocese of Seoul anticipates the event will draw as many as 800,000 participants, including both international and domestic attendees.
During his potential visit, Pope Leo XIV is expected to address both the Korean Peninsula and the wider global community, with a message likely to resonate amid deepening global conflicts and concerns over democratic backsliding.
(Yonhap)
