Pope Francis gestures during a meeting with children at the Vatican, June 9, 2018. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis said on Sunday he hoped a forthcoming summit in Singapore between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will lead to peace for Korea.

“I want, once more, to offer the beloved people of Korea an especial thought of friendship and prayer that the talks which will take place in the coming days in Singapore can contribute to the development of a positive path that guarantees a peaceful future for the Korean peninsula and for the whole world,” the pope said in his regular Sunday address.