North
 Korea 
would welcome
 Pope


North
 Korea 
would welcome
 Pope
 Kim Jong-Un (left) and Pope Francis (right)

The leader of North Korea wants Pope Francis to visit his country and believes he would be welcomed “enthusiastically”, according to South Korean officials.

Kim Jung Un is said to have expressed his desire for the Pontiff to make the trip to Pyongyang during his latest summit with South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in last month.

It comes almost two decades after a similar invitation was extended to Pope John Paul II, although a visit never came to pass after a request for Catholic priests to be accepted in North Korea was denied.