South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on June 15, 2026. The audience focused on preparations for World Youth Day 2027, which South Korea will host in August of that year. Aleteia reports that this marks the first meeting between the Pope and Lee, who assumed office in 2025 following the removal of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol.
What happened
President Lee traveled to Rome for the Monday audience, where he and Pope Leo XIV discussed logistics for the 2027 World Youth Day gathering. South Korea was selected as the host nation for the international Catholic youth event, which typically draws hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims from around the world.
The meeting comes as the Vatican and South Korean officials coordinate security, transportation, and venue arrangements for the Pope’s visit. Lee’s presidency began last year after a political crisis that led to the ouster of former President Yoon.
Read the full report at Aleteia.
Why this matters
World Youth Day represents one of the Church’s most visible evangelization efforts, bringing young Catholics together for catechesis, Mass, and encounter with the universal Church. The 2027 gathering will be the first WYD hosted in East Asia since Manila in 1995, and the first-ever in South Korea. The country has a vibrant Catholic minority of about 11 percent of the population, known for strong vocations and missionary zeal.
Pope Leo XIV’s visit will also mark a significant moment of pastoral presence in a region where the Church continues to grow. The Vatican has historically maintained careful diplomatic engagement with both North and South Korea, and a papal visit to the South offers an occasion for prayer and witness in a divided peninsula.
For Catholic readers
If you have young adults in your parish, encourage them to begin discerning whether to attend WYD 2027. Dioceses typically organize group pilgrimages with subsidized costs. Pray for South Korea’s Catholics as they prepare to welcome the universal Church, and for peace on the Korean peninsula.
Sources:
1. Aleteia — original report
