WCC news: Global prayer for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula reflects “we will not give up”

The World Council of Churches (WCC) invites the global fellowship and all people of good will to join, on 15 August, a prayer for peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula. Artworks representing the map of the Korean peninsula at the Odusan Unification Tower, near Seoul. Photo: Marcelo Schneider/WCC 24 July 2024 Composed by the National Council of Churches in Korea, the prayer will be held on Liberation Day, observed in both North and South Korea to mark the date in 1945 when Korea won independence from Japanese colonial oppression. The date was also when the peninsula was divided into two countries. “It seems like only yesterday we were holding hands and crossing over this wall that has stood here so long, but now we are calling each other enemies rather than children of God,” the prayer reads. “The communication that we shared with each other as we were filled with hope is now cut off, and only slander and fear come and go on the wind currents overhead.” The prayerful lines also speak of rising up. “O God, who makes peace, spread out your hands,” the prayer reads. “Give us the desire for peace.” WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay underscored the WCC’s commitment to churches working for peace on the Korean Peninsula. “The WCC remains deeply committed to supporting inter-Korean leadership for peace and reunification of the divided Korean people,” he said. “We ask the churches around the world and all people of good will to continue to accompany the churches of Korea by praying and acting for peace and reunification.” Read the full prayer English French German Spanish Korean "Ecumenical Forum on Korea: we are not giving up on relationships" - WCC news release, 11 July 2024 See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: Global prayer for peace on the Korean Peninsula

On 13 August, a global prayer for peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula will unite voices seeking to build bridges between North and South Korea. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 26 July 2023 Composed by the National Council of Churches in Korea, the prayer is held annually on the Sunday before Liberation Day, observed in both North and South Korea to mark the date in 1945 when Korea won independence from Japanese colonial oppression. The date was also when the peninsula was divided into two countries. The prayer notes that this year marks the 70th year of the armistice system. “The spring wind that had been blowing on the Korean Peninsula for a while has disappeared and now it is only a land filled with cold air,” read the prayer. “The danger of war is growing, and the great power nations are doing as they are wish, regardless of what the people of this land think.” The prayer reflects on the smallest deeds and the smallest seeds of peace and reunification that remain. “Let the people take up their cross upon their shoulders and climb the hill of reconciliation and peace,” reads the prayer. “Let the energy of war disappear from this land, and let the future of our nation be determined by the strength and wisdom of our nation.” The prayer also notes that Japan is dumping contaminated nuclear waste water into the ocean. “God, give us the wisdom to stop these actions that endanger the whole planet,” the prayer reads. “For this, let the South and the North, the North and the South speak with one voice and become a united country that contributes to world peace beyond the Korean Peninsula.”   Prayer material in English Prayer material in Korean           See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: Join an Easter prayer for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula

The National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) has published a “2023 Easter Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula”, an annual observance which carries special significance this year, 70 years after the Korean War ceasefire established by the 1953 Armistice Agreement. Jooeun Kim of the Presbyterian Church of Korea strikes a gong to begin a morning prayer service at the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches, held in Karlsruhe, Germany, 6 September 2022. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/WCC 05 April 2023 “As tensions continue to rise on the Korean Peninsula, we, as Christians from the North and the South, come together in prayer,” reads the text. “We ask for your grace and mercy through the resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ.” Invoking the spirit of reconciliation, the prayer however observes that “Rather than pursuing the path to peace, we have chosen to engage in accusations and slander towards each other and persist in conducting war exercises, which only serves to aggravate misunderstanding and hostility.” The prayer laments the fact that “For over 70 years, the two Koreas have remained divided, unable to heal the wounds and pain of the past.” The prayer also urges the building of trust. “We earnestly hope that trust may be restored once again between the North and the South,” reads the text. “God, May the spirit of love that fills our hearts with joy also move us towards reconciliation and peace on the Korean Peninsula!” The prayer urges dialogue and understanding. “May the Korean Peninsula become a place of coexistence and a land of life, rather than a battlefield of violence and destruction,” it pleads. “As we mark the 70th anniversary of the 1953 Korea Armistice Agreement, which unfortunately did not formally end the war, we are committed to continuing our journey towards building a sustainable peace regime on the Korean Peninsula that replaces the Armistice Agreement.” Peter Prove, WCC Director of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, recalled the long history of international ecumenical support and accompaniment of the search for sustainable peace and reunification of the divided Korean people. “After 70 long years of a suspended state of war, formally drawing a line under that tragic conflict is long overdue” he said, supporting the NCCK campaign for a peace treaty to replace the Armistice Agreement. “It is time, finally, to commit to sustained dialogue on the current realities on the peninsula, and to a step-by-step approach to building trust and constructing a sustainable peace in the region, rather than the recurrent cycles of perilously escalating confrontation.” 2023 Easter Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula WCC supports Korean churches in the Korea Peace Appeal campaign (WCC news release, 13 March 2023)   See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: Join an Easter prayer for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula

The National Council of Churches in Korea has published a “2022 Easter Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula” with a message of reconciliation and unity. Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC 11 April 2022 “Hear our prayers for the reconciliation and reunification on the Korean peninsula, deep in the shadows,” the prayer reads. “Have mercy upon us!” The prayer laments that the aspiration of the Korean people for peace, prosperity, and reunification of the Korean Peninsula has seemed to cool down. “By failing to implement the 2018 agreement of inter-Korean relations, we destroyed the peace regime in the Korean Peninsula and have remained in the shaded silence,” the prayer laments. “Two years after the historic accord, the dialogue has stalled.” The prayer also urges the overcoming of national division. “Lead us on paths of justice and peace,” reads the prayer.  “In your resurrection, we rise to a new life and look forward to a new creation.” World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca invited Christians and all people of good will to pray with Korean churches as they continue to work for reconciliation and peace, even during a time when public passion for peace seems to wane. “May the churches’ commitment to peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula never fade,” said Sauca. “Your persistence and your faith are examples for us all to keep our lights of peace before us until we emerge from the shadows together, onto the path of peace where our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ leads us."   2022 Easter Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

WCC NEWS: Churches offer Easter prayer for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula

The National Council of Churches in Korea has published a “2021 Easter Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula” with a message of hope and reconciliation.  Cross at the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas. Photo: Grégoire de Fombelle/WCC 29 March 2021 “This year, 2021, marks the 76th anniversary of the liberation from Japanese colonization,” reads the prayer. “Both the US and South Korean troops, however, are still practicing war games, pointing guns at each other's hearts.” The prayer asks for an end to the long, painful division on the Korean Peninsula. “God of love and peace! Help us to reaffirm the 1991 inter-Korean agreement on reconciliation, non-aggression, exchanges and cooperation as a transformational expression for peace and reunification,” reads the prayer. “Help us to realize lively civilian exchanges between the North and South.” The prayer asks God to defeat the sin of division through the power of resurrection. “We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the risen one, who lives among us, for a peaceful future for the Korean Peninsula and for the whole world,” concludes the prayer. World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca urges Christians and all people of good will to accompany Korean brothers and sisters as they tirelessly work for peace and reunification despite the obstacles, conflict and tensions that arise. “The ecumenical fellowship will accompany you as you take both the practical and prayerful steps to remove the constant threat of war, and reach peaceful coexistence,” he said. “In your courage, your perseverance, we walk with you and pray for you, even when the light of hope seems to recede.” Read the 2021 Easter Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula The National Council of Churches in Korea WCC member churches in Korea See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 350 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 550 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC acting general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, from the Orthodox Church in Romania. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland