A Letter to Korean churches on the Yeonpyeong Island incident
"As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem." (Isaiha:66:13)
Coming to the Advent, I pray God"s Blessing be on the Korean churches. In the season that we prepare the Lord"s day at the end of this year, we are unfortunately facing with the shocking incidents. Even though there have been several clashes between the two Koreas, the world is astonished at this incident which is the first time for civilians to be indiscriminately attacked. We pray that God comforts the victimized, their families, the wounded as well as people of Yeonpyeong Island who lost their life basis and are driven to despair in fear with unexpected artillery attack. I sincerely ask all the churches in Korea to pray in one accord for peace on this land in this time of disorder.
1. The basis for peace on the Korean peninsula is not on force but on our faith.
At any reason that comes from political matter in the internal North Korea or from aim to build a new international order, a behaviour or an attempt with force is not justified. The artillery attack even on civilians can not be escapable from denunciation. We urge North Korea to come forward to achieve unification of Korea through peaceful way.
We also indicate that South Korea carrying out military drill in the area which is having several times of clashes and stimulating the other could not be free from its responsibility. We should realize that similar incidents would be happening for days to come if the North and the South depend on only military forces. The North and the South are thinking and fearing of the probability that each other to be united by the other with military forces. Basis for peace is not on forces but on our faith. Korean churches have to pray for that mutual trust between the North and the South should be established. In this reality of mistrust and disconnection, the solid basis for mutual trust could be build through dialogue and communication in more often and more various ways. There is no way forward to peace, but peace is the way. We sincerely ask all of you to pray for achieving peace on the Korean peninsula through dialogue on the mutual trust and exchange of communication on various levels of society, while strongly rejecting an intension to get peace of Korea through military forces.
2. This situation needs to control emotion and to prove wisdom.
Facing with this world-shock incident, emotional move in this land is highly exasperated. There are full of words of prompt retaliation, many-fold punishment, expansion of high-tech weapon. Even the appropriate word of "prevention of war escalation" by the President Lee Myung Bak is almost facing with outraging criticism. Even there is a high-raised emotional utter that we should retaliate in spite of an all war. Without any condition we should prevent from making this land into battle field. We had already experienced severely the suffering through the Korean War. Having solidarity in deep concern and keen suffering with the victimized, their families, and people in the Yeonpyeong Island, we believe that Korean churches should not loose their attitude of control which is a gift from the Holy Spirit even more in the moment of disorder and suffering. we can take one step forward peace when we, Korean churches, seriously consider in one accord about what we should do truly for peace, which is more peaceful way between the engagement policy toward North Korea for last 10 years and the rapidly changing hard-line policy toward North Korea in last 3 years, how much we implement the June 15 Statement and the October 4 Agreement signed by North and South summit authorities, how we carry out peace treaty for building peace system, and what is the role of political, economic, civil society, and religious leaders. Because we confess God is only one who leads our life at every moment, we should listen to God in order to realize God"s will.
3. World wide churches pray together for peace.
This artillery incident also gives a shock to world wide churches. World wide christians initiating by the WCC and the CCA send messages of consolation and encouragement and continuing prayer. Church as the body of Christ is one. God continuously works through the Holy Spirit for churches in the World. All churches is one in Christ, even though they have different history and structure. Korean churches have been supported by prayer and cooperation of world wide churches at the every critical moment such as under Japanese occupation, the Korean War, and military dictatorship governments. Due to their love, Korean churches has been surprisingly matured. Beyond personal blessing and church"s growth-oriented mentality, all churches in the world confess that we are one. There are many churches in the third world which work in the midst of trial and pressure. Now Korean churches have to cooperate with those churches and to hold a strong prayer solidarity. We are going to witness how the prayer and solidarity of the world wide churches produce fruitful result of peace on the Korean peninsula as well as proclaim the Peace of Christ in every corner of death.
To Korean christians!
This is the year of 60th anniversary of Korean War and 100th year of Japanese annexation of Korea. Remembering the historical teaching that division is common downfall, we pray that we do not reiterate the same failure. This is the time for us to pray the coming of the Lord. Standing with this endless hope, Korean churches follow the Lord with assurance of His resurrection and with the cross of our nation"s division. The Lord described the happiness of christians as it in Matthews 5:8:"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."
May Peace of Immanuel, our Lord, be spreading on Korean churches which are waiting for Messiah even in darkness.
At the first week of the Advent.
November 29th, 2010
Rev. Kim Young-Ju
General Secretary
The National Council of Churches in Korea
Pastoral message on Yeonpyeong Eng.hwp
