Moon reaches Rome for meetings with Pope Francis, G20 Summit

Seoul, Oct 29 (IANS) South Korean President Moon Jae-in has reached Rome for a meeting with Pope Francis and a G20 Summit with other global leaders expected to focus on tackling the climate crisis and helping the world end the Covid-19 pandemic.

The meeting with the Pope on Friday at the Vatican, is expected to touch on efforts to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and resolve pending global issues, such as the pandemic, poverty and climate change, Yonhap News Agency quoted presidential officials ass aying.

A possible papal visit to North Korea is expected to come up during the meeting as the pope has previously expressed a willingness to visit the North as part of efforts to promote peace on the divided peninsula, according to the officials.

On Saturday and Sunday, Moon is slated to attend the G20 Summit to discuss with other world leaders ways to tackle the climate crisis and the pandemic, as well as how to foster the global economic recovery.

The pandemic and climate crisis are expected to dominate the summit as Covid-19 is still undermining a fragile global economic recovery.

After Italy, Moon will visit Glasgow, Scotland, to attend the UN COP26 on November 1 and 2.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will be high on the agenda at the talks, where Moon will deliver a keynote speech.

On the last leg of his trip, Moon will make a state visit to Hungary on November 2.

Hungary erected a monument in memory of the 25 South Koreans killed in the 2019 deadly boat sinking in Budapest. The memorial stone was set up near the accident site on the Danube River, where Korean tourists aboard a sightseeing boat went missing after the vessel collided with a larger cruise liner.

On November 2, Moon will visit the site and pay tribute to the victims, the presidential office said.

Moon will hold bilateral meetings with Hungarian President Janos Ader and Prime Minister Viktor Orban on November 3.

While in Budapest, Moon will hold a summit with the prime ministers of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia on November 4 in the second summit between South Korea and the Visegrad Group -- the country's second-largest trading partner and largest export market within the European Union.