The Words The Kwak Family
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The Words The Kwak Family |
Rev.
Kwak speaks at Kyung Nam University on the second day of his tour.
In early March, Father asked Dr. Bo Hi Pak and me to go on a speaking tour around South Korean campuses. He explained to us its dispensational importance. As we know, the motto for 1987 is "Unification of the Fatherland;' and this is connected with the unification of South and North Korea. Father wants to start creating a foundation for this on the Korean campuses by reaching both students and professors with his vision. We have to plant the seed of unification first in the universities; from there, the vision can extend outward to the general population.
As you may have read in the newspapers, there is severe conflict in South Korea now between the party in power and the opposition party, and university students are deeply involved in this conflict. Many students are becoming more and more influenced by communism and their desire to overthrow the government is growing.
I arrived in Korea on April 5. The very next day my first lecture was held, and I went on to speak at nine more universities. Every morning I met with the local CARP members. In the afternoons I lectured, and in the evenings I met with the professors of that university. Then I would move on to the next city. My schedule took me mainly to campuses in the capital cities of the major districts, and Dr. Pak lectured primarily in universities in the Seoul area.
Even before we began our tour, Korean CARP and the International Christian Students Association had been working hard on the campuses, spreading Father's message. They encountered several incidents of violence from leftists, but they were well trained to handle it. About 100 recently graduated CARP members formed two crusade teams to accompany both Dr. Pak and myself as we toured.
A completely different atmosphere surrounded this tour compared to the times I spoke on Korean campuses in the past. In the 60s, there were few CARP members or interested professors, and it was difficult to even mention Father's name. In general, the students then were either negative towards Father or apathetic. But this time I felt quite free to speak about Father in my lectures. At each university, I first visited the professor who was the CARP campus advisor. Most of these professors already knew me through our Professors World Peace Academy activities and were warmly supportive of my tour. But they were concerned and apologetic that I had come such a long distance, because they were sure no more than 100 students would show up for my lectures. "Our students are only interested in attending lectures that oppose the government," they told me.
At every campus, I also visited the university president together with the CARP advisor. Most of these men were well informed about Father and his foundation in the world. They were very interested and wanted to know what Father is doing now and what his next plans are. Sometimes we talked for over an hour, never less than 30 minutes. I enjoyed sharing with them so freely about the present situation of our movement.
The title of the lecture I gave at each campus was "A New Unification Movement for Overcoming Disunity." My major topic was the unification of South and North Korea. I explained that this unification is by no means simplistic. Two elements are involved. First, we have to have a vision that goes beyond the ideologies of either the North or the South. Second, we must realize that the policies and attitudes of four major countries -- the United States, Japan, the Soviet Union, and Mainland China -- will intimately influence the unification of Korea, and thus Korea needs to develop the proper relationship with them. I said that neither of these steps can be achieved easily. Yet Rev. Moon has already established some foundation in each of these four nations, and his worldwide vision encompasses all existing ideologies.
I was amazed that the students, for the most part, listened attentively. The professors who introduced me on stage were surprised that so many students showed up. At some campuses, 700 or 800 students came. The smallest audience numbered over 400. The professors told me this turn- out was totally unprecedented.
At every university, leftist student groups had put up large posters all over campus, describing their views and opinions. So the CARP students also created a poster -- with my picture on it. I never expected such a thing! Every time I came to a new campus, I saw my picture everywhere -- some- times 20 or 30 posters on one wall! Everybody already knew my name.
Generally, the response to our tour was very positive, but unfortunately, violence did break out at some campuses. Opposition came from two sides -- from the conservative Christian student groups and the leftist student groups. The Christian organizations involved have never investigated what we really believe; they just continue to blindly oppose us. The leftist radicals know very well what we stand for and are totally against it.
One political event happened in the middle of the tour that fueled the students' unrest. The Korean government and the opposition party had been engaged in talks to consider changing certain constitutional laws, but in mid-April the president suddenly announced that, because of heated arguments over the issue, a decision could not be made. The leftist students became very angry at this.
Most of the violence took place where Dr. Pak was speaking, because he is well known as the president of The Washington Times. The title of his speech was "The Ambitious Will of Koreans: Opening the Age of the Unification of North and South" Surprisingly, he was able to hold a successful lecture at Seoul National University, considered a hotbed of radical student activity. But when he got to Ko Ryo University, 400 violent leftists and conservative Christian students banded together to stop Dr. Pak from speaking.
An audience of 800 was in the auditorium. The movie "Truth Is My Sword" was running, which Dr. Pak usually showed before he began to speak. Suddenly 400 radical students entered the hall. They walked not on the floor but on top of the desks. They ripped down the posters and began to break everything. In unison they recited a chant loudly over and over. The students who had come for the lecture couldn't remain there under such circumstances, so they all left.
The radicals made some sort of demonstration in the hall against Dr. Pak, and then they told him, "Okay, let's discuss the issues -- outside" So Dr. Pak went out with them. Several of them began to speak out against The Washington Times and to make other points, and then they gave Dr. Pak exactly five minutes to give his view. What could he say in five minutes? But he took the mike bravely and began to speak in a strong and loud voice. The other students who had gathered around were listening closely, but the radicals didn't even pay attention to what he was saying. Right away someone ripped the microphone away from Dr. Pak and said, "You've had your chance!" It was really an incredible situation.
The leftists then put on another demonstration, and a thousand students gathered to watch. Suddenly someone announced, "Starting now, we are holding an urgent student meeting! Anyone who is not a student here, please leave." The opportunity for Dr. Pak to complete his lecture was completely lost at that point. Dr. Pak, surrounded by our security brothers, began to move away from the crowd, but a number of radical students followed closely behind. They took out eggs and stones and began to throw them. Our members took off their jackets and tried to cover Dr. Pak as they hurried away. One security brother was seriously wounded. Because of this incident, all of Dr. Pak's subsequent lectures had to be canceled.
Rev.
Kwak shares with Father and major leaders about the progress of his
lecture tour.
At one university I also experienced violence. We found out that the leftists and the conservative Christians had gotten together and made a detailed plan of how to sabotage my lecture. They planned to carry in sticks, tear down the posters, rip out the microphones, and destroy the stage. Then they planned for someone to start reading loudly from a text and for others to sing to stop the lecture and to throw eggs. And finally, they planned to spray tear gas all through the lecture hall. Police had used tear gas to quell previous student riots there, and the radicals had picked up and kept those tear gas containers that hadn't gone off. Now they were planning to use them against us!
Amazingly, one of our CARP members was able to discover what these plans were in advance. We told the university president and the professors, and they were gravely concerned. They wanted us to cancel the lecture, but I told them, "We will go ahead."
I deeply appreciated the sacrificial spirit of the members of the crusade team accompanying me. Four sisters were to be my "personal bodyguards." At first I was astonished. "You're so tiny," I said. "How can you protect me?" But they said, "Oh, if we were boys like those radicals, they wouldn't hesitate to try to hit us. But they're afraid to knock a girl down, so we can protect you very well'
Our members were well prepared. The sisters, especially, closely watched every student who entered. If some- one had an egg or a stick or a tear gas canister in his hand, he was prevented from entering. But about 50 agitators were actually able to make it inside. I could easily recognize them, because they were wandering uneasily through the crowd, sending messages to each other. Fortunately, several professors spoke before my lecture began, creating a warm and receptive atmosphere. Because our members were guarding everything so well, the radicals had no chance to disrupt the event.
Finally, because they could do nothing inside, the agitators decided to go out. Quickly they broke the windows and sprayed tear gas directly into the hall. It was incredibly strong! The students were choking and tearing, and many of them got up and left. But even with the terrible pain in their eyes and throats, a lot of them remained in their seats and kept on listening. My voice was choking and my eyes were watering, but I continued with my lecture. The president of the university and the professors were absolutely amazed that we kept going under such circumstances. But I was determined. I realized that those radicals were not in possession of their own minds. They were beyond any sort of negotiation or discussion about issues. They only wanted to destroy.
My last lecture was at Kun Kook University. You may remember that a couple of months ago, radical student groups completely dominated that campus and immobilized it with demonstrations for three days. I was told we would be foolish to try to lecture there, but I knew we had to go ahead. Our members were especially determined to have a successful end to the tour because of what happened to Dr. Pak at Ko Ryo University.
We held our lecture in a hall that was actually the headquarters of the radical student movement. Seven hundred students came to hear, and there was no violence at all. The last lecture was a success! I believe the students there felt a sense of liberation because that lecture marked the conclusion of our important condition.
I was grateful to be able to complete my entire lecture schedule. I have to thank God for His wonderful grace and protection. Despite the opposition on some campuses, I found that most of the students were very interested in Father's ideas. From reading their response papers, I saw how hungry they were for a new vision of the future. Some of them said, "Now I can have hope!"
Now that a foundation has been successfully laid in bringing Father's vision to students and professors, Father's desire is to reach out to the Korean people. He spoke of establishing a Citizen's Federation for the Unification of the Fatherland. Father's view is that the common citizens are going to be the driving force and the source of manpower for the achievement of unification. This Citizen's Federation will continue until the unification of the fatherland is complete. It will mainly be an educational organization to create a focal point of vision.
Centering on this Federation, Father's next plan is to build a prayer center near the DMZ so that students can come and pray for unification. It's a gigantic project. If students can hold prayer vigils there centered on this one goal, the influence of the radical groups can be subdued. Through this kind of activity, the general atmosphere on the campuses will be uplifted. Father prayed for this and gave guidance concerning his desire over and over again. Father's whole purpose for all these projects is ultimately the restoration of the world.
Father and Mother arrived in Korea after our speaking tour had already started -- on April 9. Right away Father's schedule was full, no matter where he went. He continually held meetings with professors, student groups, church leaders, and others.
True Parents visited many holy places and the sites of some of our movement's growing projects around the country, offering prayers at each location. One day I went with them to Chung Pyung Lake, and Father shared with me his precious memories of the prayer conditions he had made there. The weather was wonderful. Korea is beautiful in the spring, and I believe Father and Mother were very glad to be there.
On May 1, Father spoke in celebration of the 33rd Anniversary of HSA-UWC. In his speech he recalled the past 40 years of God's suffering and said that this 33rd year was a very important milestone. I never heard such profound depth of content and feeling. This time when Father was with the Korean members, I felt he spoke more freely than ever before. His words were so loving and warm. When he can speak without a translator, he can express himself completely spontaneously.
I sincerely hope that someday each of you will be able to understand him directly, so you can all feel the kind of incredible spiritual force that he generates.
4/06/87 University of Foreign Languages
4/07/87 Kook Min University (National University)
4/08/87 Tan Kook University
4/09/87 Seoul University
4/10/87 Kang Won University
4/13/87 Sung Kyun Kwan University
4/14/87 Choong Pook University
4/15/87 Kyung Hwi University
4/16/87 Ko Ryo University
4/06/87 Pusan University
4/07/87 Kyung Nam University
4/08/87 Tae Ku University
4/09/87 Won Kwang University
4/10/87 Choong Nam University
4/14/87 Kyung Ki University
4/15/87 Kyung Hwi University
4/28/87 Chung Joo University
4/29/87 Kyung Sang University
5/01/87 Kun Kook University