Korean unity at Vatican? Not so fast, but pope cheers anyway

VATICAN CITY — South Korean taekwondo athletes have performed for Pope Francis, after a planned show of Korean unity at the Vatican fell apart when the North pulled out at the last minute.

Pope Francis didn’t seem to notice or mind, thanking the athletes Wednesday for their exhibition “which was a show of the will for peace, the two Koreas together.”

South Korea’s World Taekwondo organization, the Seoul-led international body, said last week that a demonstration team from the North withdrew from the performance over the U.S.-South Korean military drills.

The performance had been planned to ceremonially open the World Taekwondo’s Grand Prix competition this week in Rome.