March 1 is a national Korean holiday established in 1949. It commemorates the events of March 1, 1919 when an estimated 2 million Koreans stood together to demand their independence and the dignity of self-rule.

Even while March 1^st is the date that is commemorated, it was in fact a grassroots movement with a total of “1,542 demonstrations [held] across Korea over a three-month period. An estimated 2 million people, or about 10 percent of the entire population at the time, are said to have taken part.” Today, we can marvel at such a feat, which was accomplished under limited opportunities to organize or communicate to the masses and strict colonial policies regarding political activities.

Japanese historian, Masayuki Nishi, noted: “Back then, Koreans had no freedom of assembly or association. Nor were there media to convey the will of the people.” Yet under such circumstances, how was it possible to coordinate and conduct such a wide-scale movement? To answer this question, Nishi points to Shin Yong Ha, a distinguished professor at Ewha Womans University who explains, “religious organizations and schools took the lead because they were the only entities that were allowed to hold rallies without notifying the authorities in advance.”

Interreligious Unity in the Korean Independence Movement

Interestingly enough, while much is made of the role of Christians in the Independence Movement, what emerges in the studies surrounding March 1 is that it was an inter-religious effort. All 33 signers of the Korean Declaration of Independence were religious leaders, representing an inter-religious alliance committed to Korean independence. The group was made up of Methodists, Presbyterians, Buddhists as well as the indigenous Korean religion, Chondogyo.

Korea’s spiritual landscape has always been considerably diverse and forming a consensus among these very different groups was made possible through dialogue and a commitment to a shared ideal. The spiritual leaders recognized the historic, global awakening of consciousness taking place after World War I that acknowledged certain universal principles concerning the value of individual rights and freedoms. The founding authors of the Korean Declaration of Independence were inspired by President Wilson’s 14 Point Declaration written at the close of World War I. They proclaimed the call for independence as the “solemn will of heaven,” and the religious leaders put aside their personal agendas, circumstances, and differences to stand with a higher vision and fulfill their duty to the Korean people.

A page from a Red Cross pamphlet on the March 1st Movement

What is not often written about is that the process of writing the Declaration took years of dialogue and deliberation amongst leaders of the different faiths. Initial efforts were stifled by disagreements between Christians and those of Chondogyo. Yet, while there continued to be differences of opinion, religious leaders recognized that without a unified effort for independence, the movement could not succeed.

They met to identify common issues and shared values upon which they could create a plan together for the March 1 movement. From their shared commitment emerged a concerted, grassroots effort driven by the various religious communities that put in the time, resources and manpower to support the independence movement. Rev. Soon Hyun, one of the original representatives of thirty-three Korean leaders who signed the Declaration of Independence writes, “March 1 showed the outcome of several decades of schooling and civic discourse concerning enlightenment and social reform, which heightened the sense of national unity as well as the thirst for independence.”

Much of the education took place within the religious communities who trained their leaders to become teachers who developed “a strong collective consciousness and will” in the Korean people. The religious communities became a natural place to educate and mobilize people. Chondogyo reports years of planning and training that took place in their monastery and religious communities leading up to the March 1 demonstrations. The connections within the communities were also used to raise resources to fund independence efforts.

Seoul, Korea’s Pagoda Park in the 1930’s

Faith leaders and the commitment to non-violence

It is also important to recognize that the faith leaders played an important role in ensuring the non-violent nature of the March 1 demonstrations.

The significance of this commitment to peaceful demonstrations can be understood when we look to a pre-cursor of the March 1 declaration made on February 8, 1919 in Tokyo, Japan. A considerably younger group of Korean students studying in Japan wrote out a declaration that concluded, “If our demands are turned down, we will fight an endless bloody war.” While we can debate the reasons why this declaration failed to gain traction, it may be in that the vengeful tone did not resonate with the spirit of the Korean people and lacked the moral authority of the religious leaders.

Instead, even despite the grievances imposed on the Korean people, the March 1 declaration advocates an approach that does not “dwell on the sins of the past” but looked to empower the Korean people to build a model nation for the world. Ultimately, we might surmise that the moral authority of the religious leaders and their peaceful aspirations for their nation ensured that the demonstrations were dignified and motivated by a higher purpose.

Lessons for Reunification

Although the dream of independence was never fully realized at that time, the Korean Independence Movement offers insights that could become a touchstone for our efforts for Korean reunification today.

We must reflect and ask difficult questions including:

• What hampered the Korean Independence Movement of the past?
• What can we learn from those efforts?
• How can we define common agreements that cut across lines of identity?
• What is it that we ultimately want to build together?
• What are the ideals that can bind us together?
• What is the Korean Dream?

In this historic time, will spiritual leaders and faith communities once again come together to play a critical role in advancing reunification and realizing the Korean Dream?

Revised on March 12, 2018.

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March 1 in Korea commemorates the peaceful protests that began on March 1, 1919 with 33 signatories of the Korean Declaration of Independence.

Although celebrated as a holiday in Korea, it is a bittersweet day. As the centennial commemoration of the March 1 independence movement nears, the Korean people remain divided, their dream of a homeland for a self-governing people that would manifest a vision of Hongik Ingan (“to benefit all humanity”) remains painfully unfulfilled. Yet, as it has been pointed out on numerous occasions, Korea’s crossroads may serve as an opportunity for both Koreans and the rest of the world.

Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon delivers keynote address at the International Forum on One Korea 2017 in Seoul.

In his recent addresses in Korea, Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon identified the issue of Korean reunification as the “civil rights issue of the twenty-first century,” drawing parallels to movements that have illuminated an enduring dream, inspiring global transformation in the past century.

He stated:

“Just as Mahatma Gandhi’s campaign for Indian independence, inspired other nationalist movements after the end of World War II; just as Martin Luther King Jr.’s Civil Rights movement inspired people in other nations to deal with racial inequality; just as Nelson Mandela’s effort to end apartheid in South Africa taught the world to recognize the injustices of that separatist ideology based on race; the reunification agenda will be not only for the Korean people, but an example and inspiration for the entire world.”

In an interview with the Korea Times in 2016, Peabo Bryson also drew connections between the American Civil Rights Movement and the Korean Reunification Movement, “Martin Luther King said ‘I have a dream’ in his speech. That’s just the one thing to remember,” he said. “It’s about hope for humanity. And hope for unification is the same thing.”

Both Dr. Moon’s speech and Mr. Bryson’s parallel remind us, as Mother Teresa once opined, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” In the case of the Korean people, their connection and ties with one another are self-evident; they are one people, separated only by different systems. They belong – even after 70 years apart – together. And this should actually remind us that we all belong to one another.

In many ways, the issue of Korean reunification has already attracted the engagement of the global community. The peninsula’s precarious state with the debate on denuclearization, the human rights issues and the prolonged division of the Korean people have made it a focus of international attention. Despite everything that might seem to point to the contrary, we intuitively understand Dr. King’s words that our own justice is tied to the injustice of the other, that we are intricately interwoven threads of the same social fabric.

It is this understanding that undergirds Dr. Moon’s proposal for reunification, outlined in his book Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea. In it, he emphasizes that the process must start with animating a vision that ultimately affirms that we are one family, bound together by a common spiritual heritage.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Moon challenges us to make that connection, to stand with Koreans, even if we are not from Korea, or even Asia, but because we are all human, because we all belong to one another. “For the 21st century, wherever we may be from, let us support Korea and dream the dream of one Korea.”

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I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples. —Anonymous

In the last century alone, citizens have created popular movements to bring about tremendous social change that created a ripple effect, transforming their society and the world at large. However, whether such movements draw out positive or negative consequences relies on a few key ingredients.

The power to move people to rise up and defend a noble cause always starts from a powerful guiding vision rooted in fundamental truths that transcend things such as religion, politics, and ethnicity. The movements led by great men such as Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King, Jr. reflect this very point. These men stripped themselves of their own narrow pretensions and developed a method and message that would touch the conscience of the masses.

This moral authority did not come from position, money, or power. Rather, it was a message of fundamental human dignity and the innate spiritual value of every person that stirred humanity’s collective consciousness and inspired substantial social change.

Gandhi (center) during the Salt March of 1930

Ghandi’s spiritual philosophy, Satyagraha (truth force), promoted nonviolence and noncooperation with the conviction that truth, expressed peacefully, would expose the falsehood and injustice of oppression in South Africa and India. The moral power of this vision resonated with men and women of conscience in every nation.

When the apartheid system crumbled in South Africa, there was a real danger that the white minority would experience revenge for the oppression suffered by dark-skinned Africans. However, Mandela, even after 27 years in prison, and other powerful moral leaders like Archbishop Desmond Tutu preached reconciliation. This ensured a peaceful transition at a critical moment in South Africa’s history, with timeless lessons for us to consider for challenges we face even today.

In 2012, Rev. Bernice King, daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. attended Global Peace Foundation’s annual convention in Atlanta, Georgia and spoke to her father’s commitment to peace beyond all barriers saying, “I don’t characterize my father as a civil rights leader. I characterize him first and foremost as a spiritual leader, as a man of God, as a moral leader who just happened to impact civil and human rights. And so everything that he did came out of his spiritual foundation. It didn’t come from his political ideology.”

There are still many regions around the world that require progress for social change to bring our world closer to peace. Today, we can look to the Korean peninsula, a civil rights issue rising to the forefront of global security and fundamental human rights concerns.

Korea stands at a transformational moment in its history. The danger posed by a divided and nuclear peninsula has become unavoidable. The unification issue is an urgent one. Yet, bringing about peaceful reunification cannot be based on anger and resentment, but a vision guided by the inherent value and spiritual dignity of all people.

Much like the guiding visions of successful people-powered movements like those in South Africa, India, and the United States, Korea has the opportunity to forge a new way forward through its founding vision of Hongik Ingan to “bring benefit to all humanity” as a reunited nation.

Vision, universal principles, and the moral authority of passionate individuals have, throughout history, awakened the conscience of a people to then transform society, nations, and the world. The power is, in fact, within each of us. And the time is now to discover this for ourselves, for the sake of lasting peace and shared prosperity.

How are you helping transform our world today?

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“It should be the highest ambition of every American to extend his views beyond himself, and to bear in mind that his conduct will not only affect himself, his country, and his immediate posterity; but that its influence may be co-extensive with the world, and stamp political happiness or misery on ages yet unborn.”

The very first Commander in Chief of the United States of America set the standard for leadership in the new country not only for his tactical prowess but especially for his character and trustworthiness. George Washington’s administrative and organizational skills in conjunction with his merit, passion for country before himself, and the mutual trust he shared with those he led, makes him one of the greatest leaders in U.S. history.

Every third Monday in February America celebrates President’s Day, commemorating all presidents, but first established in 1885 in recognition of George Washington whose birthday is February 22.

To celebrate this President’s Day, here are 5 lessons on leadership we can take away from the exemplary standard of President George Washington:

1. Have a clear, encompassing vision.

George Washington was able to communicate a strong, clear vision to the people he led. He remained consistent regardless of the challenges, including a very inexperienced and ill-equipped militia, allowing him to organize people under a common culture and work together to uphold that vision.

2. Character Matters. Stay strong in your guiding principles.

It’s a lot easier to follow someone who not only talks the talk, but also walks the walk, both in action and moral character. Washington was well known for his upright moral character as a man of faith throughout the colonies. He proved many times as a Commander and later as President that he would stick to his principles and values no matter the harsh conditions he faced. He kept this standard whether he was on the field, in the halls of governance, or in the comfort of his own home.

3. Don’t ask others to do what you would not do yourself.

Washington’s men were quick to follow him on the battlefield. He was the first into the fray, even having his horse shot from under him and bullets grazing his coat. Soldiers and citizens alike trusted Washington and would end up giving up their money, livelihoods and even their very lives to join in his ambitious cause and make it their own. Washington held high standards for himself and showed respect for his men by holding them accountable to accomplish their own responsibilities.

4. Place the welfare of others before your own ambition.

Although a very confident person, Washington was also humble and showed respect to his men by listening to his advisory council and avoiding costly mistakes. When the time came for him to take the lead for a new nation, Washington refused to make his seat as President a lifetime term, setting the limited duration for Presidency that would prevent tyranny and inspire democracy. He understood that his actions would have lasting consequences that would set the precedent for the following generations.

5. Care for the people you lead.

Washington cared deeply for the men who followed him and their families. No matter their rank, he treated them with dignity and respect. Conditions in war were brutal and many died from their wounds, exposure and disease. Thousands of men would give their lives following their leader. During this time, Washington wrote, “To see the soldiers without clothes, without blankets, without shoes…without a hut to cover them…and submitting without a murmur… can scarcely be paralleled.”

Being a great leader takes hard work and consistency based on strong principles and values. What do you think it takes to be a great leader?

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“Korean Unification would be the birth of an entirely new nation.” –Kenneth Bae

This interview with Kenneth Bae was conducted by Kay Heo for the Korean Dream Times. Korean Dream Times collects stories and interviews of partners of Action for Korea United (AKU), a coalition of more than 900 civil society organizations, who are working to realize a peaceful and prosperous reunified Korea.

Recently, U.S. society is in what might be called “Warmbier Shock.” This is due to the plight of one young American tourist, Otto Frederik Warmbier, who was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor on the exaggerated charge of stealing a North Korean artifact, a poster, during a trip to North Korea. After serving out 17 months of this sentence, he was returned back to the U.S. in a comatose state and died several days afterwards. Since August 2017, all U.S. travel to North Korea has been prohibited.

Of all the countries in the world, the only country that the U.S. prohibits travel to is North Korea.

Kenneth Bae, of Serving Life (now Nehemiah Global Initiative), has a different heart towards the Warmbier tragedy. This is because he himself was also apprehended on trumped up charges and released only after serving 2 years [in a North Korean prison].

Kenneth Bae speaks at the 2017 International Forum on One Korea in Washington D.C.

Currently, he is the representative of the international NGO, Serving Life, working to liberate North Koreans through its North Korean human rights movement.

At the end of July (2017), I met with Bae in Washington, DC.

He stressed that it was necessary to take immediate action as “North Korea will not, under any circumstances, no matter how much anyone might pay, be willing to give up its nuclear program. Trump or others would work to try to force North Korea to give up its nuclear program. As such, in the near future there will be a clash.”

Bae has traveled to North Korea 18 times for the purpose of evangelizing and directly experienced [North Korean labor] camp life there and so knows the realities of North Korean society. It may be that this is the reason that he cannot agree to slow, incremental preparations for unification.

“It’s because I’ve directly seen the suffering of the North Korean people. It is possible to let them continue to suffer well on into the future?”

The Nehemiah Global Initiative was established by a U.S. missionary, Seung Won Suh, in 2006. Three months prior to this interview, Bae was inaugurated and has since been active as the public face of the organization. In its 11^th year, it has helped rescue over 300 North Korean citizens. The average cost to rescue just one person is about (2 million won or $2,000 USD dollars) and yet, in only two months, Bae has been able to rescue 7 people.

After categorizing and explaining the unification of the Korean peninsula as an 8-step process, Bae mentioned that his activities have brought them to about the second or third step. He divided the steps as: Remember, Rescue, Restore, Reconcile, Revive, Return, Rebuild, Reform.

“The first step is to confirm their situation and to remember them. It is from there that we can take the next step, which includes rescuing refugees and providing them with educational opportunities, job counseling and such so that they can settle down. This is roughly what constitutes the work I’ve been doing at the moment. It is from here that we can see what is necessary is the substantial process through which we can reunify and build one truly unified nation.

We need to be able to forgive and reconcile with one another as one people, to be able to revive and rebuild the communities. We need to forgive and reconcile with one another as one people, and then encourage the refugees to return to the North and rebuild the community. But what is important to realize that it is not only North Korea that must change. North and South Korea as a whole much be reformed into an entirely new nation through a process of social transformation.”

Bae pointed out that we actually know next to nothing about North Korea. It is often the case that we do not make real effort to know what kind of society it is; we tend to think of them as separate, thinking only of our own position.

Kenneth Bae speaks on a panel in Seoul, Korea for the 2017 International Forum on One Korea

“In the [North Korean] labor camps, from 3PM to 10PM we were told to watch television every day. It was basically that they showed us propaganda. After 2 years, I saw and heard hundreds of North Korean propaganda films and songs. I also read the books and newspapers that they gave us. And, it was after continuously watching and reading these materials that I started to think “this Kim family (i.e., Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un) seem like great people.” That is, I was being brainwashed. Of course, it wasn’t that I became what they might have hoped I would become but one thing I realized was that: I didn’t really know [North Korean] society. I have to know my enemy before I move but I was only greedy to evangelize and came without even knowing the situation here.

After that, I came to think that I need to know and understand these people and from there I read and watched everything with the intent to gain as much knowledge as I could about them.”

The hardest thing for Bae during his time in the labor camp was to read and see everything without ever being able to express his own thoughts. He had never before experienced the incredible importance of freedom.

He predicted that in the next year we could expect some big changes in North Korea. 2018 will be the 70^th year since the 1948 establishment of the Republic of South Korea. Of course, 1945 was the year in which it was liberated [from colonial rule] but it was under American forces for 3 years until 1948. Bae explained that in Christianity, the 70th year is a Year of Jubilee and so he expected that there would be some big changes that would contribute to the sake of reunification.

In order to effect change in North Korea and promote unification, Bae plans to launch a broad array of activities and preparations towards unification through activities such as: rescue fundraising website, radio gospel broadcasting to North Korea, 1 million prayer campaign and organizing things such as 1 million missionaries and 100,000 bible distribution activities, immediately following unification.

He noted, “as a missionary, I have suggested my opinions based on my personal beliefs. However, if others resent my emphasis on Christianity, it would be good to spread the universal message of the Korean nation that all Koreans agree with, i.e., the spirit of Hongik Ingan to the North Korean people.

There is a grave of Tangun [founding father of the Korean nation] in North Korea. Even more than for us in the South, the North Koreans are very deeply conscious of the Tangun ancestor ideology. Kim Il Sung introduced Tangun and made his grave to citizens saying, “If you want to believe in God, believe in the God of our nation (Tangun)”. North Korea doesn’t have religious freedom but because we all share the common origin and values of Hongik Ingan [an ideal first introduced through the story of Tangun as well as the nation’s founding principle], isn’t it possible for us to dream together with the North Korean citizens the same dream of a unified Korean peninsula based on this common vision?”

Bae also delivered a message to all [Korean] citizens:

“In the past, the reason Germany was able to unite was because there was a backdrop in which the citizens were able to find a way forward. The government did not do this. For us, we cannot depend solely on the government [for reunification]. We all have to move.”

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“Moral and innovative leadership can tap the wellspring of innate human creativity because as self-governing, responsible and ethical citizens, such leaders are best prepared to address even the most intractable social problems… A moral leader is guided by a common vision that reflects the most fundamental human aspirations, conforms to universal spiritual principles that govern human life, and is committed to advance the greater good before self-interest.” -Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon

The Global Peace Foundation’s landmark convention in 2017 drew tens of thousands from around the world under the theme “Moral and Innovative Leadership: New Models for Peace and Development.” Leaders from every sector, from over 40 nations and of all ages convened in Manila, Philippines to advance cutting-edged, values-based approaches to seemingly insurmountable challenges facing the global family today.

The 2017 Global Peace Convention gathers thousands of leaders to Manila, the Philippines.

“Moral and Innovative Leadership” is a term coined by Dr. Moon at the 2010 Global Peace Convention in Nairobi, Kenya. The convention drew experts, advocates and government, civil society and faith leaders to address the challenges of identity-based conflict and development. Dr. Moon posited, “I submit to you that the deciding factor at such times is always moral and innovative leadership, on every level.”

“Moral and Innovative leadership” combines two important qualities of leadership. Moral leadership is vision driven and guided by universal principles and shared values. A moral leader always seeks the larger purpose, the greater good of the whole, and upholds the noble qualities of humanity in their leadership. Their moral and ethical foundations guide a morals leader’s perspective, decisions and actions.

Innovative leadership is forward looking, out-of-the-box, and possibility driven. Such leadership inspires people to use their God-given creativity to make advances and transformation in every sector of the human endeavor to challenge obstacles and search out new solutions.

Since Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon first coined the term in 2010, the framework of “moral and innovative leadership” has served as the beginning point of numerous successful peacebuilding and development models.

The Global Peace Convention 2017 featured several tracks that explored such developing models and galvanized synergy and partnerships on deeper levels.

The growing partnerships and networks are apparent in the growth and development of new and continued projects in GPF’s local chapters that cover Latin America, North America, South and Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and Africa.

Here are a few of the innovative models that were highlighted in 2017:

1. Building peacebuilding initiatives in hotspots in West and East Africa that engage local faith and community leaders based on shared values to build social cohesion among diverse communities and effectively address identity-based conflict and extremism.
2. Working with major faith leaders and practitioners to develop peace building strategies, protect international religious freedoms and build a global ethical framework as the foundation for peaceful and prosperous societies.
   

   Thousands of women and families submit pictures for the international campaign “Peace Begins in the Home.”

3. Advancing a grassroots movement for Korean unification through the leadership network of Action for Korea United and the application of a roadmap for unification that is spearheaded by Korea and supported by the international community.
4. “Transforming Education” to better prepare students for their future work and family. Together with ministries of education and public and private sector partners, GPF is turning the focus on nurturing the whole child, including their character and creativity competencies.
5. The “Peace Begins in the Home International Movement” drew grassroots support for the importance of peaceful homes as the seed of peaceful societies, highlighting the irreplaceable value of women in creating such homes.
6. Investing in youth to cultivate moral and innovative leadership qualities through international conferences and assemblies, as well as local service and capacity development programs.

2018 promises exponential development in these and other emerging areas of peace and development based on “moral and innovative leadership” on every level, from the family, to schools, communities, and all the way up to governments and international institutions.

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To date, there are eight UN Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the latest passed unanimously in September of 2017. The United States also imposed its own sanctions later in the month through its financial institutions.

The debate over the effectiveness of sanctions to influence the behavior of the DPRK, particularly its nuclear missile program, are mixed.

Some say the sanctions have a dismal track-record— decades of sanctions have not prevented North Korea from possessing a nuclear inter-continental ballistic missile. There is speculation that the sanctions cause more harm to countries like the United States, Russian, Japan, South Korea and China and key industries like seafood, agriculture, timber and finance. Others say that sanctions have served as an international rallying point to push for peaceful resolution on the long-standing conflict on the Korean peninsula. While others assert that the international pressure has galvanized North Korea’s resolve to secure a long-range missile system.

U.S President Donald J. Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, accompanied by their wives, arrive for talks on the growing threat posed by North Korea at the Blue House in Seoul, Nov. 7, 2017. [Photo Credit:] White House photo by Shealah Craighead (PRNewsfoto/Global Peace Foundation)

In fact, a peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula poses an unprecedented opportunity for growth and development. A 2009 Goldman-Sachs study ranked a unified Korean economy as potentially the eighth-richest in the world.

Peace Dividend

It is challenging to envision how to get from the present situation to such potential. But, as Nelson Mandela said, “It always seems impossible until it is done.”

The current division of North and South is not even a century old, compared with to the thousands of years old history and culture of the Korean people. What is more, the Cold War constructs that initially caused the division and held the two Koreas apart have crumbled. Former allies of the Cold War, like Russia and China, have growing trade relations with South Korea, and their loyalty to North Korea has begun to weaken.

Thus, to envision reunification, it is important to cast off the Cold War framework and see the Korean people as one who share a historic heritage that can unify them, both North and South.

Dr. Hyun Jin P. Moon’s book, Korean Dream

In his book, Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea, Dr. Moon points to a golden thread that still ties the Korean people together to this day. Korean people have long passed down the story of their first ancestor, Tangun and the ideal of a nation as essentially one large, extended family. This common understanding, based on deep, spiritual aspirations could and should become the basis around which to build a vision of a unified nation.

There are multiple examples throughout history such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Independence Movement in India, the rapid reunification of East and West Germany that point to the power of a people inspired by a vision.

Perhaps reunification is not as impossible as the current division and tensions on the peninsula would have us to believe. If the Korean people can rally around a common vision, then reunification and shared prosperity becomes a viable and certainly desirable option.

Korean Led

It also becomes more important than ever that the efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict and push for peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula be led by the Korean people themselves. Until now, the geopolitical interests of the Cold War have interfered with the destiny and dreams of the people.

The vision of a reunified Korea is the long-held hope of Koreans across time and space. In their cultural heritage and in their blood, they have what is needed to break down the ideological barriers dividing family from family.

The global, international community can support Korean-led efforts for self-determination.

This means, not just the cooperation of North and South Korean governments, but more importantly it calls for grassroots, citizen-driven, civil society effort that can bring together the collective voice of the Korean people. Action for Korea United (AKU) is one such effort, uniting over 900 civil society organizations together, highlighting the importance of a shared vision for reunification and calling on all Koreans to be a part of realizing their destiny.

National Transformation Model

When the people can engage around a shared vision, and when the citizenry are actively involved in the civic square, this sets the foundation for a representative and responsible government. These become the preconditions for economic development, cooperation and growth of a united Korea.

Of course, there is much work that can be done to prepare for reunification. Dr. Moon has urged for reformation of the financial system of South Korea to free up capital for new entrepreneurs and innovators, but also begin to make the market more accountable its customers and more ethical in its business practices.

There are still many obstacles to work over both in the North and the South, from transitioning to a genuine people’s republic and undergoing serious reforms both socially and economically. However, the stage is set for the Korean Dream, as citizens work to realize one nation that can “benefit all humanity.”

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On November 11^th every year, the United States honors the men and women who are serving and have served in its armed forces on Veterans Day.

The day was originally Armistice Day, created at the end of World War I by President Woodrow Wilson, to commemorate the end of the “war to end all wars.”

Sadly, World War I did not end all wars. World War II ensued, followed by the Korean War, the Cold War and more. Men and women of the United States Armed Forces continued to put their lives on the line, not only for the safety and liberty of the American people, but for the dignity of all people of the world.

In many ways, the founding ideals and dream of the United States behoove it to serve the world as it has. The founding fathers began the American journey as an experiment, meant to prove to the world that a people could and should self-govern, and that government should be “for the people and by the people,” upholding the inalienable rights and liberties endowed by our creator.

The United States has been a force for positive change in many ways: fighting for the right for self-determination of colonized people, investing in rebuilding war-torn nations (including former enemy nations), establishing international bodies to gather the voices of nations to collectively find solutions to peace and other global challenges, challenging totalitarian regimes and fighting for the freedoms and rights of oppressed people.

America’s legacy of service to the world is often overshadowed in the back and forth between current political divisions in the United States.

But it becomes palpable in the men and women, the U.S. veterans, who place their lives in the line of fire to secure stability not just for the United States, but for the world.

Thank you for your service.

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It was mid-August 2017 and the situation on the Korean peninsula seemed to fluctuate from bad to worse. Tensions had spiked after North Korea announced that it was developing plans to send missiles to Guam in response to heated public statements from the United States and the ratification of new sanctions from the United Nations.

Amidst such news, the One Korea Global Campaign issued an announcement that reminded the global community that there are pathways to peace that go can beyond political wrangling. In a follow-up to the 2015 song “One Dream One Korea,” the August 15th release of the song “Korean Dream” engaged “a group of celebrated Korean and international musicians” to expand global awareness of the shared values and vision of one united Korea.

The One Korea Global Campaign origins

The One Korea Global Campaign aims to build popular support for Korean Unification through the Hallryu (Korean wave) platform, one of the most highly visible and influential pop culture phenomenon in our world today. With millions of fans across the globe, Hallryu can work to be a dynamic force for global peace.

K-pop stars at the 2015 One K Concert in Seoul

Launched as the One K Campaign in 2015, it released two powerful and groundbreaking songs: “One Dream, One Korea” by Kim Hyung-Suk and “One Dream” by Insooni at the first One K Concert held in the Seoul World Cup Stadium with over 40,000 attendees.

Alongside the flashing lights, Action for Korea United, a key coalition of over 900 civil society organizations working with the One Korea Global Campaign, worked to coordinate the launch of numerous grassroots educational campaigns to provide more in-depth education on the importance of reunification based on Korea’s founding principles and shared values. While each group is focused on their own particular areas of strength or interest, the AKU coalition is held together with the commitment to build a nation that can manifest the “Korean Dream” to “bring benefit for all humanity.”

The general approach of the coalition and campaign matches the strategy laid out in Dr. Moon’s book, Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea, of engaging ‘people power’ to chart a peaceful path towards a reunified nation, making inroads where diplomacy and politics cannot.

The One Korea Campaign Goes Global

In Korean Dream, Dr. Moon notes that Korean reunification should be led by Koreans but supported by the global community. Building on the successful launch in Korea, the One K Campaign took steps to expand its reach to a broader, English-speaking audience on Aug. 16, 2016 at the International Young Leaders Assembly’s Global Summit at the UN General Assembly Hall, and the One Korea Global Campaign was officially launched.

That December, the One Korea Global Campaign also held a press conference attended by a surprising trio of renowned artists, Peabo Bryson and composers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, announcing a new song promoting reunification that will make an “impact beyond the charts” like Michael Jackson’s “We are the world.”

In an interview shortly after, the two-time Grammy Award winning Bryson, singer of Beauty and the Beast’s ‘Tale as Old As Time’ and Aladdin’s ‘A Whole New World,’ said of the song project, “If this goes anyway toward accomplishing [reunification], it will still be without a doubt the biggest accomplishment of my life.” He expressed his concern for humanitarian issues and said that Korean reunification is about having “hope for humanity”, drawing parallels to the American civil rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I have a dream’ speech.

Debut at the Global Peace Convention 2017

In early 2017, promotions for a “One Korea Global Peace Concert in Manila” began in earnest with an enticing hint of the debut of the new One Korea Global Campaign song.

While primarly appealing to international fans of K-pop and the Korean Wave with headliner names like Shinee, PSY, B1A4, BTOB, AOA and CNBlue, the promotions also highlighted the important cause of Korean reunification as a major milestone towards global peace with the motto, “One Dream, One Korea, One World.”

At the Concert, Dr. Moon personally told the story of the divided Korean people to a cheering audience of 15,000 fans and challenged them to be the peacemakers that will make Korea one again. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis also came on stage to introduce the first debut of their long-awaited campaign song that would conclude the evening’s performances with all the artists together on stage .

Even while the 30-plus top Korean stars performed their most popular hits, the grand finale was undoubtedly the unveiling of the long-awaited “Korean Dream”. Many fans could be seen shedding tears and shouting for joy as their favorite stars joined Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on stage.

One dream, one Korea, one world! #OneKConcertinManila @philconcerts pic.twitter.com/n1D0FFEUGd

— s a n d r a (@fadedspiral) March 2, 2017

Release of the Korean Dream song

After the Concert, star-struck fans eagerly uploaded their recordings of the newest One K Global Campaign songs on the internet, only to find, to their disappointment, that the enthusiastic cheers from the crowd had had drowned out the audio of the much-anticipated song. When would the song be released to the public?

The One K Campaign chose the day commemorating Korea’s Independence, August 15th, to hold a showcase of the new song, “Korean Dream,” at the Ilchi Art Hall in Gangnam, Seoul.

Famed Korean-Australian singer Dami Im, Jung Dong-ha and Voisper performed the song live, this time in a quieter venue where the lyrics and full effect of the vocals could be heard clearly.

Shortly after the event concluded the song was released for purchase on Spotify, iTunes, Google Play and other platforms.

Following this, several of the featured singers released promotional videos giving a short personal invitation to purchase the song and promote the ongoing campaign.

On Sept. 1st, the full music video was released on the One K Campaign’s Youtube channel, featuring close-up shots of each artist and flashback scenes from all of the One K Campaign’s activities leading up to that point, including a solemn visit by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to the DMZ.

Fans and stars alike, who had been waiting months for the song’s release, were enthused.

(Youtube comments on the Korean Dream song music video)

Lyrics to move nations

The “Korean Dream” lyrics express the still unfulfilled hope for a unified Korea and the potential of such a new nation to shine as an example of peace. As Dr. Moon has poignantly noted in the Korean Dream book, in order to see past seemingly insurmountable differences, division and conflict, a conversation is necessary to identify a common platform upon which Koreans in the North and South can rise up and claim as their shared identity. This is precisely what the Korean Dream lyrics allude to:

Scars of separation
isolation from our family
but it can’t erase 5000 years of love & legacy
the roots our destiny grows from

Strength in unity the Korean dream
A vision we will serve the world
as one Korea one Korea

Hand in hand without fear
spreading love that will heal us
shine our light so all can see the
transformation the unification

For the benefit of all humanity
create a beautiful world that’s made
for you and me
where we all live in peace

The “universal dream” to “serve the world as one family” refers to Korea’s historical 5,000-year-old ethic of “Hongik Ingan” or “living for the benefit of humanity.” This dream encompasses the whole of North and South Korea, and can be the basis upon which to build a new, unified Korea “where we all live in peace”.

The song’s bridge enlists the unified Korea in a new mission – to “join hands and heal the world” as “citizens of God’s creation.” This evokes the dream of Mr. Bryson, who envisioned writing lyrics that would invoke the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech, which similarly called for the dignity and freedom of “all of God’s children,” going beyond the trending local issue to encompass a broader, universal cause.

A Unifying Vision to Serve the World

The theme of Korean reunification is not a new one. Koreans have always been – for the most part – conscious of the ideal of reunification because they understand that they are literally two halves of one Korean family.

Yet when it comes to the issue of unification itself, there has always the temptation to make Korean reunification about military, political or economic power, with winners on one side and losers on the other. This comes from the faulty notion that unification is about political, military and economic matters and the people should not worry about things “above their pay grade.”

It has always been part of the Korean identity that theirs was an aspiration to be a people that can serve all humanity. When this vision can be ingrained in the minds and hearts of the people, it renders all the political, economic and military aspects of the divided peninsula as mere details to be worked out.

There is some insight that long-time interfaith peace-builders can offer from their experience of working to resolve identity-based conflict. James Patton, president of the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, shared in an interview with the Global Peace Foundation that successful peacebuilding efforts between disparate groups most often take root in the realm of values. “If I recognize in you something that I value… the connections start to deepen; and it comes away from the doctrinal differences.”

Korean Reunification as a Stepping-stone towards Global Peace

The work of the Global Peace Foundation and Action for Korea United have spearheaded opportunities for Koreans, both from the North and South, to put into practice the shared historical vision of Hongik Ingan, or, “living for the benefit of humanity”. It is in these shared experiences of service both to each other and to the world that the Korean people can begin to see beyond all the narratives of division and difference–and then to work together towards unification.

Hongik Ingan is a vision not just for the Korean people, but that looks outward beyond the nation for the inspiration and the good of all humanity. In Hongik Ingan, Asians can find a principle that supports human rights and freedoms and comes from an ancient civilization at the very heart of Asia.

In an editorial for the India-based Sunday Guardian, Dr. Moon writes, “a Korea unified on the foundation of its own ancient principles will finally leave behind its colonial past and bring to an end the last remnant of the Cold War in Asia.” Dr. Moon goes on to describe a “new Asian peace dynamic” free from any colonial legacy that will naturally expand to the world through the ethic of “broadly benefiting humanity.”

The One Korea Global Campaign aspires to serve as this kind of catalyst to awaken the Korean people, Asia and all the world to recognize that we have the power and responsibility to transform the world into that of which we dream.

This will remain one of my proudest moments in music, to be a small part of a global humanitarian effort for peace💕 https://t.co/VSanXeUYEi

— Peabo Bryson (@PeaboBryson2) September 6, 2017

Read Dr. Hyun Jin Preston Moon’s book: Korean Dream: A Vision for a Unified Korea

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In an age where nuclear missiles are making headlines all too often, the eyes of the world are drawn to the Korean peninsula. Citizens from all sectors of society, from the university student to the most powerful presidents in the world, people from all corners of the world are forced to question the safety, security and future of the Korean populace and those surrounding the anxious peninsula.

But this was not always such a mainstream issue.

There was a time when the heartbreak of a separated homeland fell on deaf ears, a world that wondered why it should consider reunification when it was so impossible.

This wasn’t very long ago at all.

As an American, without an ounce of Korean heritage in my veins, I dreamed of a united Korea as a sophomore in college only five years ago. So why did I care? I was confronted by this very question as a volunteer for Global Peace Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has a unique vision for the reunification of Korea.

Tourists and locals walk in the square of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea

I went to Seoul, Korea as one of a few foreigners in a group of mostly native Korean students who took to the streets to campaign for support for reunification.

Intrigued by the sight of an American campaigning for a “Korean issue,” I was approached by two young women my own age from New York. Excited to meet fellow English speakers, I told them about the campaign but was quickly interrupted by a snappy, “But why?”

I continued to try and explain the opportunities, both economic and humanitarian, that could be present in a reunified Korea but was again interrupted, “Yes… but why do you care? Aren’t you American? Anyway, Koreans here are comfortable with things the way they are. Why would they want to change? It’s basically impossible.”

I was startled. Their dismissive attitude shocked me.

I do care. Deeply.

I never got the chance to respond the way I wish I could have because the young women continued in a hurry to enjoy their day off. But that experience allowed me to question my resolve to dedicate time and energy in a cause that I believed was essential to our modern world and something that I was responsible for as a human being.

Yes, I am an American. And a proud one at that. I am proud of my heritage. I was born with liberties and freedoms that allow me to advocate with my speech and actions in the causes that I believe are good and right. But I also came into the world as a product of an interracial marriage and was raised as more than just a citizen of a single nation.

I was raised to treat people from every nationality, ethnicity, culture and religion as brothers and sisters from the same global human family.

International students show support for One Korea during Global Peace Foundation campaign

I didn’t start caring about the “Korean issue” when threats of political instability or nuclear warfare flooded the media. I cared a long time ago, as a child, because I learned about a nation that was thousands of years old with a beautiful culture and family traditions that were pushed to the shadows, left to suffocate by a line drawn at the 38^th parallel; hundreds of thousands of families that were ripped apart overnight, many of whom spent the rest of their lives wondering if their mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, wife or husband were even alive.

We all come from different backgrounds with different beliefs and traditions. The beauty of our humanity is that we are molded by all these different aspects of our past to understand what we are meant to contribute to the whole world into the future.

I am not Korean, but the dream for Korean reunification is my dream, too.

I want to help the Korean people reignite their rich traditions and their identity as a people with a great destiny to contribute even more to our world: our global human family.

It is up to the Korean people to make this dream a reality. But on the road to accomplish any great dream, it helps to have people along the way who provide support and encouragement instead of becoming obstacles that say, “Why should I care? Why change the way things are? It is impossible.”

We all have a part to play. Will you be a bystander or will you join me in supporting our Korean family?

This testimony on the issue of Korean Reunification was contributed by an American volunteer for the Global Peace Foundation.

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