General News and Announcements

July 11, 2008

The Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea* (PROK), a partner of The United Church of Canada, has urged South Korean President Lee Myung Bak to actively cooperate for peace on the Korean peninsula. PROK made the call following the decision of North Korea on June 27 to submit an inventory of its nuclear plants and materials, and subsequent demolition of the cooling tower in the nuclear complex at Yongbyon.

The action of North Korea, according to a statement by PROK, is a significant first step toward the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. In response to the North Korean action, the United States administration lifted sanctions against North Korea and removed the country from its list of countries that support terrorism.

Korean partners of the United Church, including PROK and the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK), have requested global partners to join them in expressing concern about the policy of the new South Korean government toward North Korea. President Lee Myung Bak outlined this policy during his inaugural speech, indicating that South Korea's economic cooperation with North Korea would be tied to North Korea's denuclearization, among other issues. PROK and NCCK considered this antagonistic policy as potentially hindering the efforts for peace and reunification on the Korean Peninsula. It reverses the conciliatory "sunshine" or "engagement policy" of the previous two South Korean governments.

In response to the request of the NCCK, the World Council of Churches General Secretary, Sam Kobia, wrote a letter* to President Lee Myung Bak, calling for "urgent measures to strengthen inter-Korean relationships without any pre-conditions." Mentioning the recent actions by North Korea and the United States, Kobia says that this development needs to be seen, both politically and symbolically, as North Korea's clear commitment to dismantling its nuclear program in the near future and an important step toward the ultimate goal of the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

The United Church likewise responded with a letter to President Lee Myung Bak expressing concern that South Korea's policy toward North Korea could thwart the achievements made in recent weeks and become an obstacle to the efforts for peace and reunification on the Korean peninsula. In the letter, Bern Jagunos, Asia-Pacific Coordinator, stated that the confidence-building measures generated by past administrations contributed to the easing of tensions in the Korean Peninsula and the unprecedented progress in inter-Korean relations. The letter calls on President Lee Myung Bak to adopt a policy that strengthens inter-Korean relationships without any preconditions and promotes lasting peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.

For more information please contact

Bern Jagunos
Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations
The United Church of Canada
3250 Bloor St. West, Toronto, ON  M8X 2Y4
Tel: 416-231-5931 ext. 4077
Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781
Fax: 416-231-3103 E-mail: Bern Jagunos