“The upcoming South-North summit will be definitive in the settlement of peace on the Korean peninsula.” (Lee Jae-jeong, Superintendent of Education, Gyeonggi-do) “In order to thaw the hearts of South and North, frozen for the past 70 years, it is urgent that we activate and expand civilian exchanges.” (Chang Sang, co-president of the World Council of Churches.)
The Christian members of the Cheongwadae (Blue House) South-North Summit Preparation Committee's senior advisory group are anticipating a successful summit. They emphasize the importance of domestic and international church circles in the civilian exchanges that will take place between the South and the North after the summit. Between April 12th and 21st, Kukmin Daily interviewed, via telephone or email, six Christian members of the senior advisory group, and heard their predictions for the summit and their advice on the church’s future role. Also among those interviewed were Han Wan-sang (professor emeritus, Seoul National University), Kim Byeong-yeon (professor, SNU), Kim Jun-hyeong (professor, Handong University), and Bae Gi-chan (Institute for National Security Strategy).
Dr. Chang Sang, co-president of the World Council of Churches (WCC), advised, “This summit is an opportunity that will be hard to realize again. Let’s make good use of WCC, the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), and other international Christian organizations that are eager to help bring peace to the Korean peninsula.” Lee Jae-jeong (Superintendent of Education, Gyeonggi-do), a former Unification Minister, gave his evaluation that “This South-North summit is a historical bridge to the North-U.S. summit and the three-way South-North-U.S. summit.” Prof. Han Wan-sang commented, “Compared to the immediately previous summit in 2007, the prospects for this summit are brighter.” Bae Gi-chan predicted, “The three parties, South Korea, North Korea and the U.S., have been in hostile relationship for the past 10 years, and therefore all are in dire need of conversation, so the summits will definitely bear fruits.”
The consultation members provided many suggestions on the role of the church after the summit, such as eradicating ideological conflicts related to North Korea within the churches of the South, eschewing competition in the process of material support for North Korea, and forming a consultative body for South-North exchanges. WCC Co-president Chang pointed out, “Presently, there is tension between conservatives and progressives within church circles. But it is not that the conservatives oppose peace and reunification. Before South-North exchanges, the Korean churches need to carefully examine the worries surrounding the ideological conflict.” Prof. Kim Byeong-yeon also picked as a crucial task the resolution of conservative-progressive conflict within the churches around the North Korea issue.
In the photo, members of the senior advisory group for the South-North summit converse with President Moon Jae-in at Cheongwadae on April 12. From left to right are: Park Jae-gyu (chancellor, Kyungnam University), Jeong Se-hyeon (former Unification Minister), Park Ji-won (National Assembly member, Democracy and Peace Party), President Moon, Im Dong-won (former Unification Minister), Lee Hong-gu (former Prime Minister), Han Wan-sang (professor emeritus, Seoul National University), and Lee Jae-jeong (Superintendent of Education, Gyeonggi-do). Photo courtesy of Newsis.
Reporters Yang Minkyeong & DongWoo Kim (grieg@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Full Story in Korean:
[남북정상회담] 본격적인 남북교류 앞서 교회 화합부터 이뤄야: 기독 자문위원 6인에게 듣다
“Before full-fledged South-North exchanges, the Korean churches should reconcile”
2018-04-24 10:31
