President Moon Jae-in's long swing through Europe gets underway on Saturday.
The focus will be on updating European nations on Seoul's diplomacy related to North Korea.
Our Shin Se-min has more on the president's schedule.
President Moon Jae-in will be leaving on a 9-day trip to Europe… with the objective of keeping his European counterparts in the loop on the fast-evolving peace project on the divided Peninsula.
"President Moon will be explaining the positive developments happening on the Korean Peninsula, including the respective summits between the two Koreas and the U.S., while expressing gratitude for EU member nations' support for peace in the region."
With that goal in mind,... the President will be on a state visit to France for four days from the 13th.
His schedule there includes a summit with the French president as well as a friendly cultural event with Koreans living abroad and some French Hallyu enthusiasts.
Among the performers at the event will be the record-setting K-pop sensation BTS.
From the 16th, the President will be in Rome, holding summits with the Italian president and prime minister,… to be followed by a highly anticipated meeting with Pope Francis,… where the discussion of peace on the Korean Peninsula is likely to reach its peak.
President Moon will be passing on to the Pontiff an invitation to Pyeongyang from North Korea's Kim Jong-un,… who had reportedly told the President that he would "ardently welcome" the Pope should he visit.
And during his stay there, the President will also participate in a special "Mass for Peace" on the Korean Peninsula at St. Peter's Basilica, presided over by the Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
Then comes a two-day stay in Brussels, where President Moon will be attending the Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, where he will address European nations on his administration's plans to plant the seeds of peace in the region.
Finally, at the last destination of his Europe trip, the President will land in Copenhagen on the 19th for the P4G Copenhagen Summit, where he will speak about the global coalition on sustainable development.
He will arrive back home on Sunday the 21st.
"The President's tight schedule includes a comprehensive set of issues -- from North Korea to new industries and even sustainable development. But the presidential office underlines that the most pressing topic of all... is again connecting with Europe in expanding the new order of "peace and stability" on the divided Peninsula.
Shin Se-min, Arirang News."
