Vatican city: President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that he asked Pope Leo XIV to visit North Korea and the Demilitarized Zone, a buffer area between the two Koreas, when he met with the pope this week at the Vatican.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee unveiled the request at a press briefing on the results of his 10-day trip to Europe that ended Thursday. Lee met with the pope Monday at the Vatican.

The president said that Pope Leo XIV responded that he would actively pursue the proposal.