Anniversary of the Start of the Korean War

June 25, 1950 is the date the Korean War began.Today we remember June 25th with Masses, praying for peace, and speaking about preparations for unification of the one country of Korea. After the Second World War, the victorious parties divided the Korean peninsula along the 38th parallel:  the north of the once Japanese colonial possession went to the Russians, and the United States occupied the area to the south. The division and confrontation have continued up until the present.

Both Catholic papers had articles on the situation, and the symposium held on June 12th on what path should be taken for unification. Opinions expressed  continued along the ideological understanding of the divisions. One of the headlines addressed the need for the conservative and progressive positions to come together to prepare for unification.

The word jackpot has been used for the unification of the country. The South is still divided among those who want a united Korea and those opposed. The opposition would be based on the financial burden that would be put on the South. The word jackpot is the dream of a better economic tomorrow with the united South and North.

The symposium mentioned the need for both the North and South to acknowledge their own failures and mistakes over the years. One position would see the war, the continual provocation of the North against the South, communism and the human rights violations in the North as insurmountable obstacles to unification,and the other side sees the history of one country, the need for brotherly love, helping those in need, forgiveness and return to the oneness of our Korean culture.

The way we have acted with the anti-communistic thinking has continued the hostile approach to the North, has contributed to the divisions we have in the South, and the anti-unification thinking of many. The Church has much to do in helping to heal the divisions we have concerning unification.
 
One priest suggested that on the visit of the pope to Korea, the international community has a means of  showing  an interest in the unification of the country. This would be a wonderful sign to the whole world. He would like the government to see the visit of the pope not only as a religious visit but as an occasion to contribute to policies that will quicken the day of unification.