Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Global Peace Foundation discusses diplomacy for unified Korea
Moon Hyun-jin, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation, speaks during the virtual International Forum on One Korea 2021. Courtesy of Global Peace Foundation
By Kwon Mee-yoo
By Kwon Mee-yoo
The world is looking at Korea's diplomatic priorities as South Korea pursues peaceful unification of the two Koreas, participants in an international forum organized by the Global Peace Foundation said Friday, sharing ideas on ways to achieve peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
Moon Hyun-jin, founder and chairman of the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), called for greater attention to the movement for a free and unified Korea, during the High Plenary Session of the International Forum on One Korea 2021, the same day. The forum is running from Aug. 7 through 15 as part of the Global Peace Convention 2021.
Moon's book "Korean Dream," exploring the vision of a unified Korea, was reissued in observance of Korea's independence movement. In the book, Moon emphasizes that unification is needed to continue South Korea's "Miracle on the Han River," the remarkable economic transformation from a war-ravaged, agricultural society to a modern, high-tech economy in less than half a century.
"In the long term, unification will bring economic benefits that address all of these concerns. It would bring together the existing synergistic elements of both Koreas for the benefit of all. The South has a highly developed economy that is in dire need of new avenues for growth. The North provides those opportunities through its untapped natural resources, extensive need for new industries and infrastructure, an expanded labor pool, and in the long run, a larger combined domestic market," Moon said.
Edwin Feulner, founder and former president of the Heritage Foundation, said Moon's "Korean Dream" concept was timely.
"One of the most noteworthy and original aspects of Korean Dream is its emphasis on the importance of an overarching vision for a united Korea and the principles that should guide that vision and the need for a vigorous civic society to play a central role in the pursuit of unification," Feulner said.
Lee Jong-kul, president of the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, said peace and unification will emerge as a key topic in the upcoming presidential election and Koreans should refrain from making political interpretations of the road they are headed on to realize "complete independence."
U.S. Congresswoman Young Kim, who is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and co-chair of the Congressional Study Group on Korea, stressed that the Korean Peninsula issue is ranked high on the foreign policy priorities of the Joe Biden administration.
"The U.S. and South Korea must work together to stabilize the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. This requires the maintenance of a strong and coordinated U.S. force in South Korea, as well as increased coordination between Tokyo and Seoul on responding to and preparing for threats from North Korea that could go beyond basic intelligence sharing. We must form a united front through a trilateral partnership to ensure a more secure and stable relationship with North Korea," she said.
She also introduced the Divided Family's Reunification Act HRA26, which would push for opportunities for Korean Americans to reunite with their long-lost family members in North Korea.
North Korean defector-turned-lawmaker Tae Yong-ho of the main opposition People Power Party stated, “a papal visit to North Korea should be pursued to serve as planting the seeds of religious freedom in North Korea."
"Unlike other religious leaders, the Pope can play a very important role in ending the ideological confrontation between the two Koreas in that he can communicate with the leaders of the communist bloc," Tae said.
“The Pope's visit to North Korea should serve as a catalyst for religious freedom, human rights and a liberal democracy on the Korean Peninsula. We need to persuade and help build more religious facilities in Pyongyang and other destinations that will be mostly visited by South Koreans and foreign tourists.”
However, he also cautioned, "The Pope's visit to North Korea is an issue that should be approached with great care because there is a possibility for the North to use it in its favor to seek the lifting of economic sanctions on the nuclear state.”