Pope Francis talked to journalists about world affairs and his health while aboard the flight from South Korea to Italy on Monday. A notable statement he made was that he would visit China tomorrow, if the Chinese government invited him.

During his 5-day visit in South Korea, the Pope sent signals to Chinese President Xi Jinping who controls Catholicism in the country. The pope hopes that the estrangement between China and the Vatican would be resolved through dialogues.

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He said that the Chinese government should see Christianity as a fundamental part of local cultures and not as a threat to a nation's identity.

Pope Francis also addressed the wars and conflicts taking place around the world.

When asked if he approved of U.S. attacks against the Islamic militants, he gave a conditional answer that is either yes or no.

"In these cases, where there is an unjust aggression I can only say that it is legitimate to stop the unjust aggressor," he said.

He stressed that his statement does not mean he supports any war. He said that the means to stop an unjust aggressor must be assessed and consulted with other parties.

He quickly named the United Nations as the most fit to evaluate the situation.

The Pope said he considered traveling to Iraq from South Korea, but sent a senior cardinal instead. The Vatican representative met Yazidi refugees and delivered charity.

With his busy schedule, the Pope opened up about his health. He said that he needs to slow down when a reporter brought up the instances when he cancelled appointments because of minor health issues.

He added that he learned to handle fame by thinking of his mistakes since he came to office last year.

However, one thing to look forward is the Pope's possible visit to the U.S. next year. The trip might also include Mexico in the agenda.

TagsPope Francis, South Korea pope visit, Iraqi conflict, world affairs