THE KUKMIN DAILY

Restoration of the public ethos of the Korean church, for church unity and renewal.

It was declared that this must come first of all. Another point emphasized was that in order to reactivate the currently faltering Korean peninsula peace process, the Korean churches and world churches should reinforce their solidarity in connection with the 3rd North-South Summit Meeting to be held this month.

A declaration with these contents was adopted by the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) at its 2018 Policy Conference, held on September 4 at Kyungdong Church in Seoul. The conference theme was “Asking the way of the ecumenical movement at a turning point,” with the subtitle “The church, living out Resurrection at the foot of the Cross.”

Seoul National University Prof. Emeritus Han Wan-sang (photo), a former deputy prime minister, presented the keynote lecture. Prof. Han declared, “Restoring the public ethos of the Korean church is the first priority.” He asserted, “What is at the core of a public ethos is not the wish for my physical health, wealth and success, but the emptying of myself in order to break down all the walls that are causing others to suffer.”

Lee Moon-sook, vice chair of the NCCK Reconciliation and Reunification Committee, noted, “The opening of the promised joint liaison office has been postponed, and joint inspection of the inter-Korean railroad line has been blocked by the UN Command… What is most important is to establish the South-North liaison office, and we also need to strengthen the system of communications with our overseas church partners.”

Following the opening of the office of the “Inter-Korea Exchange Group of South Korean Churches” on September 3, NCCK is in the process of organizing, together with the World Council of Churches (WCC), a joint pilgrimage team that will carry out a “walking peace workshop” passing through Gwangju; Nogunri in Yeongdong, Chungbuk-do; Imjingak in Paju, Gyeonggi-do; and the Demilitarized Zone.

Reporter Woo Sungkyu (mainport@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)

Original Article in Korean:
“한반도 평화 지속되도록 한국교회-세계교회 연대를”: NCCK 정책협의회 선언문 채택

Related Article:
NCCK Member Denominations and Church Organizations Launch “Inter-Korean Exchange Group”