World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed grave concern over the rapidly escalating tensions and military confrontation on the Korean Peninsula, and also expressed the WCC’s support for a statement released on 4 November by the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) that calls for halting military actions and choosing a path toward peace.
As the keynote speaker during an Ecumenical Peace Conversation in South Korea on 11 October, World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca reflected on the theme of the recent WCC 11th Assembly, “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity.”
The following feature begins a series of reflections from churches in different countries on "reconciliation" in the midst of conflict and division, following the theme of the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly, “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity.” As the WCC commits to working together as a fellowship on a “Pilgrimage of Justice, Reconciliation, and Unity,” these stories explore how deepened relationships can lead to understanding and radical change.
Members of the Ecumenical Forum for Peace, Reunification & Cooperation on the Korean Peninsula (EFK) held an informal meeting on 9 September in Karlsruhe, Germany, following the conclusion of the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly presented a minute on ending the war and building peace on the Korean Peninsula. The minute notes that the WCC 10th Assembly in Busan, South Korea, drew the attention of the worldwide ecumenical movement to the ongoing search for peace, reconciliation and reunification of the divided Korean people.
The World Council of Churches 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.
The World Council of Churches invites the global fellowship and all people of good will to join, on 15 August 2022, a prayer for peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.
Composed by the National Council of Churches in Korea, the prayer will be held on 14 August—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.
In a pastoral letter to the Korean Christian Federation, World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed “very deep Christian concern” over the COVID-19 outbreak in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
On the International Day of Living Together in Peace declared by the United Nations, members of the World Council of Churches (WCC) fellowship from countries troubled by war and conflict gathered to pray for sustainable peace in the world.
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.
The United Church of Canada has launched the “Korea Peace Appeal Ten Thousand Signature Campaign” that declares, “70 years is enough. It’s time to end the Korean War.”
In a 1 September letter to President Joe Biden, World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca appealed for reconsideration on sanctions against North Korea.
Participants in a meeting of members and partners of the Ecumenical Forum for Peace, Reunification & Cooperation on the Korean Peninsula (EFK), held online on 25 August, emphasized the need to continue to work together for peace on the Korean Peninsula even amid COVID-19 and challenging political circumstances.
The 7th Korea-US Church Consultation was held 24 June online, bringing together Korean and US church leaders to reflect on their mission journey, to share their respective challenges, and to explore joint action plans especially vis-a-vis the new US Administration.
Through an ecumenical worship service held at the Kyungdong Presbyterian Church on 30 June, the National Council of Churches in Korea and the Christian Academy jointly marked the creation of a new “Korean Accompaniment Group for the WCC 11th Assembly.”
2021 Easter Prayer for Peace and Reunification on the Korean Peninsula published by the National Council of Churches in Korea with a message of hope and reconciliation.
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.
While the peace process on the Korean Peninsula needs further progress built on trust, the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected international humanitarian support and development cooperation efforts. World Council of Churches (WCC) communications invited Peter Prove, director of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, to discuss the current ecumenical engagement for Korea and role of churches in building a sustainable peace.
Convening online on 14 January, members and supporters of the Ecumenical Forum for Peace, Reunification and Cooperation on the Korean Peninsula recalled the initiatives undertaken during 2020 despite the constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and reflected on the implications of a changing global context for efforts for peace.
