Pope Francis in Seoul

Pope Francis used a speech at the presidential Blue House in Seoul on Thursday to encourage South Korea and North Korea to resolve their differences through dialogue.

"Korea's quest for peace is a close to our hearts, for it affects the stability of the entire area and indeed of our whole world-weary world," the pope said in a speech delivered in English to South Korean President Park Guen-Hye and senior officials and diplomats.

"Diplomacy... is based on the firm and persevering conviction that peace can be won through quiet listening and dialogue, rather than by mutual recriminations, fruitless criticisms and displays of force," he added.

The pope appeared to deliberately avoid any mention of South or North Korea, referring only to "Korea" or the "Korean peninsula."

North Korean missiles

Shortly before the pope arrived in Seoul, though, North Korea fired three short-range rockets into the Sea of Japan, following this up with two more later in the day.

"It is not good that the North fired rockets on the day when the pope visited Seoul with a message of peace and reconciliation," foreign ministry spokesman Noh Kwang Il told a press conference. "We think that the North should end its reckless provocations," he added.

Despite the North's missile-firings, South Korean President Park said she hoped the presence of the pope would help heal the "long wounds of division" on the peninsula.

"Division has been a big scar for all Koreans," she said.

South and North Korea remain technically at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a ceasefire as opposed to a peace agreement.

During his trip, the pope is also expected to meet with some of the families of around 300 people, mostly high-school students, who were killed when a South Korean ferry capsized back in April.

The government has faced much criticism over its handling of the aftermath of the disaster.

pfd/kms (AFP, AP, dpa)