Pope Francis arrived in South Korea on Thursday morning for a five-day stay.
 
The pope was personally greeted by President Park Geun-hye at the Seoul Air Base in Gyeonggi Province.
 
With the president expressing her hope to see an era of inter-Korean peace and reconciliation through the papal visit, the pope replied that he came to Korea with that in mind. 

The pope added he is glad to be in Korea, saying that he made good relationships with Koreans in Buenos Aires, Argentina. When greeted by the families of the Sewol ferry victims, the 77-year old pontiff said the tragedy pains him and he holds the victims deep inside his heart.  

Also at the airport were Bishop Kang Woo-il, the head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea, two North Korean defectors and a group of 32 devotees, including immigrant workers from the Philippines and Bolivia. 

After the greeting at the airport, the pope headed to the Holy See Embassy in Seoul where he will be staying during his visit.
 
Later in the afternoon, the pope will attend a welcoming ceremony at the presidential office and hold talks with President Park.
 
He will then conclude his first day in Korea by meeting with bishops and staff members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea. 
 
Until next Monday, the pope will travel between Seoul and Daejeon and attend some 20 events.