The Words The Kwak Family
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The Words The Kwak Family |
The main political topic of conversation in South Korea now is the issue of the unification of the entire peninsula. On campuses, in congress, and on the street, everyone -- both liberal and conservative -- is talking about unification. I am amazed by this development because before last year, when Father established the Citizens' Federation for the Unification of the Fatherland (CFUF) on May 15, 1987, no one had any real hope for unification, and thus didn't even talk about it. The only focus was the kind of government that should exist in South Korea.
Father, of course, has been thinking about unification for years, and has initiated programs such as Victory Over Communism, which has helped prepare the country for this time. The professors involved in the CFUF are deeply amazed and surprised because they know clearly that last year people had no consciousness of the possibility for unification -- and only a year later, it's a nationwide issue! Now both our members and the professors can even more deeply appreciate Father's perceptive understanding and broad vision of the future. He knows that unification will not come by spreading propaganda or by expounding some theory. It will only be achieved through very realistic and effective preparation and organization from the grass-roots level on up. Father is the only person, and the CFUF is the only organization, working to achieve unification of North and South Korea under democratic and God-centered ideals. The voluntary participation of leading professors gives the CFUF great power. Truly it is the only hope to fulfill the goal of unification.
Recently President Roh Tae Woo strongly called for the adoption of six policies which would significantly expand the foundation for the unification of North and South Korea:
1. All Koreans should be able to travel freely between South and North.
2. Those families that have been separated should be permitted to visit one another.
3. The door to trade between South and North should be opened, and it should be conducted as intra-national commerce.
4. The South will strive to make efforts to balance and improve our nation's economy for the sake of our people's prosperity, and we will not oppose the trade of nonmilitary materials between other friendly nations and North Korea.
5. The South hopes to cooperate with the North for both nations' mutual benefit and to end the closed and hostile relationship that now exists between us.
6. The South is ready to cooperate with efforts to create better relationships among America, Japan, and North Korea and will itself seek for better relationships with communist countries such as the Soviet Union and China.
Many people in South Korea and in other countries heartily welcomed the proclamation of these remarkable policies.
Until this time, the strategy of North Korea has been to spread propaganda through the communists and liberals in South Korea. They talk about exchange between the countries with false smiles of peace, but this is not their true intention. However, as seen from the six points, President Roh is now urging the North to allow free travel and trade between the two countries. Much of this is unacceptable to North Korea because if they indeed opened their country in this way, the world would see the appalling reality there and discover that their glowing description about life in the North has only been propaganda. It would be very embarrassing for them.
I believe that the CFUF will more and more become a very significant organization. Successfully accomplishing the goal of unification will require the efforts and prayers of many people and should continue to remain an important focus for our worldwide membership.