International Support

[Anchor Lead]

President Moon Jae-in is to embark on Europe tour on Saturday to obtain international support for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. Moon will make a state visit to France and even watch a concert of the popular idol band BTS.

[Pkg]

According to the nation's top office, President Moon Jae-in's tour of European nations, which begins on Saturday, will seek to obtain international support for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. During his nine-day trip, the South Korean leader will visit France, Italy, Belgium and Denmark as well as the Vatican, where he will meet with Pope Francis.

[Soundbite] Nam Gwan-pyo(Second Deputy Chief, National Security Council) : "When meeting with Pope Francis, the president will express his commitment to cooperation toward peace, reconciliation and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and the world, and discuss ways to promote such cooperation."]

President Moon will deliver to the Pontiff, an invitation from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Moon, who is Catholic, and First Lady Kim Jung-sook will attend a mass at St. Peter's Basilica dedicated to peace on the Korean Peninsula. Prior to visiting the Vatican, the president will pay a state visit to France, where he will have a summit with his French counterpart. He will also watch a concert promoting friendship between Seoul and Paris. The concert will feature the popular idol band BTS, which has received the Order of Cultural Merit for publicizing Korean culture overseas. In Belgium, Moon will attend the Asia-Europe Meeting to speak about geopolitical changes on the Korean Peninsula and the South Korean government's efforts to establish permanent peace. During his Europe tour, President Moon Jae-in plans to build a foundation for cooperation with the European leaders in the fields of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and small and mid-sized businesses.