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      Pope Francis Welcomed by South Korean Leaders, North Korean Rockets

   by VOA News

   Pope Francis received a warm welcome from South Korean President Park
   Geun-hye on Thursday as he began a five-day visit to the country.

   During his trip, Francis will participate in a Catholic youth festival
   and a mass for peace and reconciliation on the divided and tense Korean
   peninsula.

   In a display of those tensions, the South's rival, North Korea,
   launched three projectiles into the sea off its east coast less than an
   hour before the pope's arrival.

   Seoul defense officials say the projectiles were launched from the port
   city of Wonsan and traveled 220 kilometers before landing in the ocean.

   The North, which has recently conducted a series of similar tests,
   declined to send a delegation to the papal mass, citing its anger at
   upcoming U.S.-South Korean military drills.

   Like all other religions in North Korea, Catholicism is only allowed to
   exist under some of the world's tightest restrictions. As a result, it
   is unclear how many North Koreans practice Catholicism.

   The pope's trip to South Korea is also highlighting tensions between
   the Vatican and China, which do not have diplomatic relations.

   As his plane flew over Chinese airspace, Pope Francis sent a message to
   President Xi Jinping offering "divine blessings of peace and well-being
   upon the nation."

   Despite the Vatican's objections, Beijing insists on maintaining a
   state-controlled Catholic church, which does not answer to Rome. There
   is also a large underground church, and the two sides disagree over
   which has the authority to ordain priests.

   South Korea boasts about five million Catholics and is one of the
   church's fastest growing congregations in the world.

   His trip is the first since Pope John Paul II visited South Korea in
   1989. Vatican officials say Francis will bring a message about the
   "future of Asia" and speak to all countries on the continent during his
   trip.
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   -leaders-north-korean-rockets/2412852.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-francis-welcomed-by-south-korean-leaders-north-korean-rockets/2412852.html