Call for reconciliation, peace efforts on Korean Peninsula
All Koreans should choose path of peace and dialogue for reconciliation, says Seoul archbishop ahead of war anniversary
Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul distributes the Holy Eucharist to Catholics during a special Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in the national capital on June 24. (Photo: Seoul archdiocese)
By UCA News reporter
Published: June 25, 2024 03:17 AM GMT
Updated: June 25, 2024 04:40 AM GMT
A South Korean Catholic leader has called for a renewed commitment to peace and reconciliation in the region on the eve of 73rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War (1950-1953).
Such efforts for reconciliation and peace are crucial “not to pass on a legacy of hatred to future generations,” Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick of Seoul said during a special Mass at Myeongdong Cathedral in the national capital on June 24.
The liturgy was a part of the Catholic Church’s “Day of Prayer for the Reconciliation and Unity of the Korean People,” said a press release from Seoul archdiocese.
“Even though the situation between the two Koreas may appear bleak, we Christians cannot remain in despair. Instead, it is precisely in this era of growing animosity that our prayers can illuminate this time with a greater light,” Chung said, referring to current volatile and sour relations between the two Koreas.
The prelate said the teachings of Jesus can bring transformation, God’s boundless mercy and patience by choosing the path of peace and dialogue.
“Jesus Himself showed that peace cannot be achieved through an eye for an eye approach. Peace can only be attained through dialogue,” he said.
Korean people have demonstrated in the past their resilience to overcome poverty for economic development and to overcome dictatorship for achieving democracy, Chung said, referring to South Korea’s return to democracy from military rule.
“Now, we must harbor a new hope that we can overcome division. This hope will surely bring true peace to the Korean Peninsula,” he said.
People on the Korean Peninsula should “choose the path of forgiveness and reconciliation over that of hatred and resentment,” he added.
For centuries Korea was ruled by the Joseon dynasty (1392-1910). Japan colonized Korea after the end of Joseon rule that continued until Japan’s surrender to the Allied Forces during the World War II.
Due largely to disagreements between the Soviet Union and the United States, Korea was divided into two with the South siding the US and a communist regime backed by the Soviet Union took over the North.
Tensions between the two Koreas escalated into a war when the communist forces from the North invaded the South on June 25, 1950, and retreated only after an armistice was signed on July 27, 1953, through the intermediation of the United Nations.
Technically, both countries are still at war in the absence of a peace treaty.
The Korean War is considered one of the deadliest conflicts of the 20th century. An estimated three million people were killed, and millions were displaced.
North Korean communists also arrested, tortured and killed hundreds of Christiansduring the war accusing them of collaborating with the Western forces.
After the end of hostilities, the South Korean Catholic Church made reconciliation, reunification and peace on the Korean Peninsula major pastoral priorities.
Since 1965, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea has observed June 25th as the “Day of Prayer for the Church in Silence.” In 1992, it was renamed as the “Day of Prayer for Reconciliation and Unity of the Korean People.”
Seoul archdiocese established the Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People in 1995, marking the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South from Japanese rule.
The committee holds Mass and peace-sharing prayer meetings every Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Myeongdong Cathedral. Up until June 24 this year, 1,413 Masses have been held with the aim of nurturing peace and unity through prayer and reflection.
The committee also manages various education and research projects, supports programs for North Koreans and defectors, and arranges pilgrimages to border areas under the program “Winds of Peace.”