President Moon Jae-in meets Pope Francis during his official visit to the Vatican, Oct. 18, 2018. Korea Times file

By Kang Seung-woo

On the occasion of President Moon Jae-in's scheduled meeting with Pope Francis later this week, a possible papal visit to North Korea is once again emerging.

Experts believe that the papal visit still stands a chance, given that Pope Francis has made many appeals for inter-Korean rapprochement. If realized, it could play a role in establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula.

According to Cheong Wa Dae, Moon is scheduled to meet with Pope Francis at the Vatican, Friday, before attending the G20 Summit, and he is likely to discuss the possibility of a papal visit to Pyongyang.

"The pope has repeatedly expressed his willingness to visit North Korea, so they may discuss the issue as well," a senior official of the presidential office said.

A papal trip to the reclusive state gained traction in 2018 amid a peace mood created by three inter-Korean summits and historic meetings between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and then U.S. President Donald Trump.

In October of that year, Moon paid a courtesy call to the pope and delivered a verbal invitation from Kim. The pope said at the time he was willing to visit the North if the North Korean regime sends him an official invitation. However, the plan fell apart after the 2019 Hanoi summit between Kim and Trump ended without a deal.

"The pope's visit to North Korea is still possible as the North Korean leader was positive about it in the past," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

"If North Korea successfully overcomes COVID-19 to some extent, its leader doesn't need to oppose the pope's visit as his trip could be used as propaganda."

Since coronavirus infections began spreading in January 2020, North Korea has closed its borders.

Yang said the pope's visit could help normalize the stalled ties between South and North Korea.

"While North Korea is rife with issues related to human rights violations and freedom of religion, a papal visit would have a symbolic meaning and it could lead to better rapprochement between South and North Korea," Yang said.

Yang added if the pope's visit to North Korea works out, leaders of South and North Korea and the United States, accompanied by the pope, could formally declare an end to the Korean War at the border village of Panmunjeom.

"A visit by the pope would help to show North Korea that another, less isolated future is possible if it changes its behavior and becomes more receptive to Seoul's and Washington's call for engagement," said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a professor of international relations at King's College London.

"In addition, a visit by the pope would draw attention to North Korea in a positive way, signaling that other countries are willing to entertain the possibility of better relations with Pyongyang."

The biggest sticking point for the pope's visit to North Korea is the COVID-19 pandemic, Yang said.

"Other than the coronavirus, there is no barrier to Pope Francis traveling to North Korea, as his visit is linked to non-political purposes," he said.

"If the North Korean leader decides to invite the pope, there would be no barriers."

However, Pacheco Pardo said the main sticking point for a visit by the pope is that he would want to talk about human rights, including freedom of religion, and this may be difficult for the Kim regime to accept.