China blocks travel by some for South Korea papal visit - organiser

South Korean President Park Geun-Hye (R) shakes hands with Pope Francis at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, August 14, 2014. REUTERS/Jung Yeon-Je/Pool

SEOUL (Reuters) - Pope Francis sent an unprecedented message of good will to China on Thursday before touching down in Seoul, but the first papal trip to Asia in 15 years got off to a shaky start with the news some Chinese had been barred from joining a youth celebration.

About half of more than 100 Chinese who had planned to attend an Asian Youth Day event during the pope's visit are unable to attend due to "a complicated situation inside China", Heo Young-yeop, spokesman for the Committee for the Papal Visit to Korea, told reporters.