Pope leaves South Korea after urging peace

Published August 18, 2014 3:56pm ET



SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Pope Francis wrapped up his first trip to Asia on Monday by challenging Koreans —from the North and the South — to reject the “mindset of suspicion and confrontation” that clouds their relations and find new ways to forge peace on the war-divided peninsula.

Before boarding a plane back to Rome, the pope held a Mass of reconciliation at Seoul’s main cathedral, attended by South Korean President Park Geun-hye as well as some North Korean defectors. It was the final event of a five-day trip that confirmed the importance of Asia for this papacy and for the Catholic Church as a whole, given the church is young and growing here whereas it is withering in traditionally Christian lands in Europe.

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