China blocked some of its citizens from traveling to see the Pope on his visit to South Korea, possibly arresting a number of them.

The Pope flew to Seoul for a five day trip to improve papal relations in Asia. The Korean city of Daejeon is host to Asian Youth Day, a five day event for Catholics to pray and speak about their faith in the modern world.

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While about 50 Chinese Catholics were able to fly to Seoul for the event, another 50 were prevented from flying out of China said Heo Young-yeop, spokesman for the Committee for the Papal Visit to Korea.

He said it is "a complicated situation inside China".

Another organizer within the committee said that some of the Chinese Catholics had been arrested.

Asian Youth Day, which runs from Aug 13 to Aug 18, began on Friday with the Pope performing Mass to participants numbering in the tens of thousands, the Wall Street Journal reports.

China responded to reporters requesting information about barring their citizens from Asian Youth Day with a vague statement from the Foreign Ministry.

"We are willing to keep working hard with the Vatican to carry out constructive dialogue and push for the improvement of bilateral ties," it said in a faxed statement to Reuters.

Director of Jinde Charities Ren Dahai, a Chinese Catholic charity, thinks that the situation is not a nationwide blockade but is due to the sentiments of local governments.

He said it is likely because of "the ideas and practices of local officials".

Anthony Lam, a senior researcher at the Diocese of Hong Kong, said that two weeks before the Pope's visit Chinese authorities began suggesting that traveling to South Korea would be a bad idea, and that Chinese citizens "know the costs" of attempting to do so.

North Korea made statements as well by turning down a South Korean invitation to visit for Mass and by firing test rockets the day the Pope landed in Seoul.

TagsPope Francis, asian youth day, Seoul, Catholic Church, Vatican