Abstract
As the reunification of South and North Korea has increasingly become imminent since the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, this article aims to provide a critical reflection on South Korean efforts, including Christianity, and suggests some practical ways forward. Starting with the reunification efforts over the last few decades, barriers and catalysts for the reunification, the article argues that both Koreas, adjacent nations and the international world must make a new effort. Within Korea, Christianity has been a catalyst as well as an obstacle for the reunification. The reunification is an opportunity for both Koreas to co-prosper, and not simply a South Korean opportunity to extend its own wealth. Korean Christianity has a special responsibility to reflect on some mistakes that occurred among foreign mission stakeholders in Korea and within Korean Christianity itself. Most of all, Korean Christianity ought to reimagine itself in the lead-up to the reunification and practise diakonia towards fellow North Koreans. A systematic cooperation among some exemplary services for North Korean defectors and the marginalised is a preparatory practice, in addition to diakonia education and implementation within the church and the broader community.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 296-314 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2 Oct 2018 |
Keywords
- Christianity
- Reunification
- Korea
- diakonia
- peace
Cite this
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Time to make two Koreas one again : Korean Christians’ self-reflection and diakonia duties. / Han, Gil Soo.
In: International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church, Vol. 18, No. 4, 02.10.2018, p. 296-314.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Time to make two Koreas one again
T2 - Korean Christians’ self-reflection and diakonia duties
AU - Han, Gil Soo
PY - 2018/10/2
Y1 - 2018/10/2
N2 - As the reunification of South and North Korea has increasingly become imminent since the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, this article aims to provide a critical reflection on South Korean efforts, including Christianity, and suggests some practical ways forward. Starting with the reunification efforts over the last few decades, barriers and catalysts for the reunification, the article argues that both Koreas, adjacent nations and the international world must make a new effort. Within Korea, Christianity has been a catalyst as well as an obstacle for the reunification. The reunification is an opportunity for both Koreas to co-prosper, and not simply a South Korean opportunity to extend its own wealth. Korean Christianity has a special responsibility to reflect on some mistakes that occurred among foreign mission stakeholders in Korea and within Korean Christianity itself. Most of all, Korean Christianity ought to reimagine itself in the lead-up to the reunification and practise diakonia towards fellow North Koreans. A systematic cooperation among some exemplary services for North Korean defectors and the marginalised is a preparatory practice, in addition to diakonia education and implementation within the church and the broader community.
AB - As the reunification of South and North Korea has increasingly become imminent since the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, this article aims to provide a critical reflection on South Korean efforts, including Christianity, and suggests some practical ways forward. Starting with the reunification efforts over the last few decades, barriers and catalysts for the reunification, the article argues that both Koreas, adjacent nations and the international world must make a new effort. Within Korea, Christianity has been a catalyst as well as an obstacle for the reunification. The reunification is an opportunity for both Koreas to co-prosper, and not simply a South Korean opportunity to extend its own wealth. Korean Christianity has a special responsibility to reflect on some mistakes that occurred among foreign mission stakeholders in Korea and within Korean Christianity itself. Most of all, Korean Christianity ought to reimagine itself in the lead-up to the reunification and practise diakonia towards fellow North Koreans. A systematic cooperation among some exemplary services for North Korean defectors and the marginalised is a preparatory practice, in addition to diakonia education and implementation within the church and the broader community.
KW - Christianity
KW - Reunification
KW - Korea
KW - diakonia
KW - peace
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85057236452&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/1474225X.2018.1532549
DO - 10.1080/1474225X.2018.1532549
M3 - Article
VL - 18
SP - 296
EP - 314
JO - International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church
JF - International Journal for the Study of the Christian Church
SN - 1474-225X
IS - 4
ER -