EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH POPE FRANCIS

[Anchor Lead]

Pope Francis held an exclusive interview with KBS ahead of Prefect Lazarus You Heung-sik's installment as cardinal tomorrow. Known to be a strong supporter of peace on the Korean Peninsula, the pontiff again said he is willing to visit North Korea and serve as a bridge for the two countries.

[Pkg]

Pope Francis greeted a KBS reporter with a big smile. The Supreme Pontiff repeatedly spoke out about wanting to visit North Korea, but this time he urged the regime's reply in a more direct manner.

[Soundbite] (Pope Francis) : "I will go there as soon as they invite me. I’m saying they should invite me. I will not refuse. The purpose of my visit is always brotherly love."

He hopes to see the two Koreas build peace with brotherly love and stressed that he wants to serve as a bridge between the two sides.

[Soundbite] (Pope Francis) : "You have suffered through the pains of war. So you know what war means. Work toward peace. I send my blessing and prayer for peace to everyone in both Koreas."

The Pope grows serious when asked about the global situation.

[Soundbite] (Pope Francis) : "We’re undergoing World War III within one century. Something that’s been ongoing since 1914. This is insane."

Referring to not only the war in Ukraine, but also the civil strife in Rwanda and Syria, he implored that the world must stop producing weapons.

[Soundbite] (Pope Francis) : "If we stop spending money on weapons production for a year, that money could go to solving the problems of world hunger, children’s starvation and education. But people don’t do that."