Pope’s small car fascinates South Koreans

By Youkyung Lee

Published August 14, 2014 1:15pm ET

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Pope’s small car fascinates South Koreans — Pope Francis waves from a car after his arrival in Seongnam, south of Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Aug. 14, 2014. As Francis became the first pope in 25 years to visit South Korea on Thursday, Seoul's never-timid rival, North Korea, made its presence felt by firing three short-range projectiles less than an hour before he arrived, officials said. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Shin Jun-hee) KOREA OUT | Shin Jun-hee

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Pope Francis’ choice of wheels during his five-day South Korean visit has surprised many in this painfully self-conscious country, where big shots rarely hit the streets in anything but expensive luxury cars.

After his arrival Thursday, the pope left the airport in a compact black Kia that many South Koreans would consider too humble a conveyance for a globally powerful figure.

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Asia Catholicism Pope Francis Religion South Korea World