THE KUKMIN DAILY

A long-awaited meeting took place on the morning of June 30 at the Ambassador Hotel, located on Dongho-ro in Jung-gu, Seoul: a Joint Worship Service held by former moderators of the Hapdong and Tonghap denominations of the Presbyterian Church of Korea. PCK Hapdong and PCK Tonghap, originating from the same root, have walked separate roads since 1959, when--due to conflicting opinions over various issues including whether or not to join the World Council Churches--they parted ways. Though both have continued to grow as the nation’s first and second largest denominations, it has been hard for them to avoid blame as “the ones who brought harm to the Korean church as a whole, by causing the biggest split in the history of Korean Christianity.” The gathering in one place of leading clergy from both denominations, 55 years after the separation, was an expression of their desire to unite their divided hearts and to heal the pains of the division.

Reporter Lee Saya (Isaiah@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)

Photo by senior reporter Kang Min Seok


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