Reverend Moon’s Autobiography Celebrated at Publisher’s Ceremony

Compiled from reports by Nam Jun Lee, CIGn reporter, Michael Balcomb
June 1, 2009
Translations by Tossa Cromwell.

More than three thousand leaders of Korean society and nearly two hundred dignitaries from overseas gathered on June 1, 2009, at the COEX Convention Center in Seoul to celebrate the successful publication of the surprising new best-seller, Becoming a Global Citizen of Peace, the Reverend Dr. Sun Myung Moon’s autobiographical memoir. Now in his 90th year, Reverend Moon, known to his congregation as True Father, was joined at the event by his wife of 50 years, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, and several of the couple’s 14 children and more than 40 grandchildren. Some observers said the gathering might have been the largest ever held in Korea to commemorate a book publication.

According to the website of the Kyobo bookstore, one of the largest bookstores in Seoul, the autobiography was featured as the Number Two bestseller. “Reverend Moon's autobiography is heading toward becoming the Number One bestseller in Korea,” the Reverend Dr. Chung Hwan Kwak, international president of the Universal Peace Federation, reported. He explained, "Reverend Moon has gone beyond disbelief and prejudice and lived a life of practicing the way of bringing about true world peace, the way of happiness for individuals and families, the way of happiness in society and the way for happiness and peace for all humanity." Reverend Kwak added, "This book will become a life guide for young people and would contribute to the great work that Reverend Moon is doing."

Current and former political leaders both from Korea and from abroad participated in this event, which coincided with a conference of world political leaders organized by the Universal Peace Federation. Attendees included Byeong Il Kim, secretary general of the Organizing Committee of the International Exposition in Yeosu, Korea 2012; Bong Ho Kim, former vice-speaker of the national parliament in Korea; Moon Do Heo, former Minister of Unification in the South Korean government; Alfred Moisu, a former president of Albania; Rahim Huseynov, a former prime minister of Azerbaijan; Hassan Muratovic, former prime minister of Bosnia; Hamilton Green, former prime minister of the Republic of Guyana; Kessai Note, former president of the Republic of the Marshall Islands; Jose de Venecia Jr., former speaker of the house in the Philippines; Sir James Richard Mancham, first president of the Republic of Seychelles; Gabriel Mesan Agibeyome Kodjo, former prime minister of the Republic of Togo; and Malimba Nathaniel Masheke, former prime minister of Zambia.

When Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon and his wife Hak Ja Han Moon went on stage with a standing ovation, Sang Sun Kim and Yu Shin Eon, who are popular film actors in Korea, presented flowers to Reverend Moon and his wife. This was followed by a cake cutting by Kook Jin Moon, chairman of the HSA-UWC Korea Foundation, and Rev. Hyung Jin Moon, world president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (both sons of Reverend Moon).

“The most important lesson I want you to get out of my autobiography is to love Heaven,” Rev. Moon told the gathered dignitaries. “Heaven is so immense. How can we love Heaven when we don’t even know about the Heaven of the past thousands and tens of thousands of years? That was my homework. You need to know Heaven. You shouldn’t just know Heaven vaguely; you have to know Heaven concretely. You have to be able to explain Heaven both to people who are well off and to beggars who have to beg for their food. You have to let people know about Heaven, teach about Heaven, and show Heaven to others through your actions.”

Reverend Moon next read a speech titled, "A World of True Peace and the Peaceful Settlement of the True Parents UN," explaining the important role true families play in bringing about world peace and reemphasizing the importance of lineage.

Cheol Seung Lee, 88, chairman of the Korean Cultural Foundation, congratulated Reverend Moon. "I feel that it is an honor and joy for me to congratulate the publication of Reverend Moon's autobiography on behalf of all who have gathered," he said. "Publishing an autobiography means that the author is putting his life in order and passing his wisdom on to future generations."

Mr. Lee praised Reverend Moon's life of faith and spiritual struggle. "Reverend Moon devoted his life to bringing the truth about the spiritual world and the religious ideal to the world of reality. He should not be criticized by ordinary people." Mr. Lee is chairman of the Republic of Korea Founders Committee.

Mr. Lee urged people to study the religious insights of Reverend Moon, saying, "Where is the Korean peninsula going, when we have political leaders committing suicide and threats from North Korea? Where is humanity going in the future? All structures of conflicts and confrontation in society must be brought to an end, and we must hope for the completion of the ideal world through peace. No political power in the world can bring this about. We need a worldview of life and history that can embrace faith. We need a vision that can go beyond individual, religious, and national boundaries.”

Mr. Sang Ju Lee, former minister of education and human resources as well as vice-prime minister, explained in detail his reflections after reading Reverend Moon's autobiography twice.

When Reverend Moon presented a special copy of the book to Ms. Eun Ju Park, the Gimm-Young Publishers’ CEO, all the participants responded with a standing ovation. Soprano Young Ok Shin, the Little Angels Performing Arts Troupe, the Sun Hwa Arts High School Choir, and the Seoul Royal Symphony Orchestra, with conductor Sang Jae Kim, got high praise for their performances as the closing acts of the autobiography event.

Suzuki Takehiro, a Japanese missionary to Uruguay who attended the event, commented, "I heard about Reverend Moon's autobiography in my mission country and came to attend this event. I am grateful, and it was a great honor that Reverend Moon spoke to us for over an hour in a strong voice, even at his age of 90. My wish is that he can continue to be healthy and that he can keep praying for us and for all humanity."