'The most Korean thing is the most global, they say, proudly talking about Korea. The popularity of K-content, such as dramas, movies, music, games, and webtoons, is evident in Central Seoul.
It is not surprising that people take pride in Korea's status to the extent of adding 'K' to every word. On the contrary, it enhances the pride of living in such a country. Foreigners used to ask whether someone was from South Korea or North Korea when they said they were from Korea, but now they express curiosity about K-pop singers. In no time, South Korea has become a well-known country among people around the world.
The Korean people's desire for freedom and democracy has also astonished the world. The first article of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea states, 'The Republic of Korea is a democratic republic,' and 'The sovereignty of the Republic of Korea resides in the people, and all state authority emanates from the people,' which has made K-democracy centered on the basic common sense of all democracies. Korea's modern history, marked by democratization through nonviolent resistance without tolerating violence, is envied by other countries yearning for democracy. It is truly something to be proud of.
On October 10, North Korea held a military parade in Pyongyang to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Workers' Party of North Korea. The parade showcased North Korea's new weapons—devastating weapons, including the intercontinental ballistic missile. Citizens in Pyongyang cheered as they watched, calling it the proud spirit of Korea capable of neutralizing any enemy....
Meanwhile, broadcasting outlets here in Korea, not wanting to be outdone, continuously introduce the remarkable performance of war weapons such as the KF-21 fighter jet, the K2 tank, and other weapons, and their activities in war zones around the world, as sources of great national pride. But is this truly something to be proud of? Can we genuinely celebrate the fact that the war weapons we produce and export are being used as tools of killing in conflict zones around the world, elevating them as a praiseworthy product?
K-defense promotes itself as the flower of peace, claiming to export peace, but ultimately, the places where Korean-made weapons arrive and explode are just scenes of mass killings where precious lives are lost. “There are those who claim that weapon production, as has been known, serves as a guarantee for today's peace and justify it, but peace can never be achieved through the balance of 'force of weapons.' When one country strengthens its weapons, other countries must also possess even more significant amounts of arms..."Consequently, people live in constant fear. They are afraid that at any moment the impending storm may break upon them with horrific violence. And they have good reasons for their fear, for there is certainly no lack of such weapons."(Pope John XXIII, “Pacem in Terris,” sections 110–111)
The Church’s teaching announced 60 years ago never endorsed the production, sale, or use of weapons. Pope Francis expressed his concerns on January 18 when meeting members of the Verona Catholic Foundation supporting non-profit organizations: “Money creates the greatest value when used for others. Do not forget this. It is very important. But the reality of investments we face today is truly unfortunate. In some countries, the weapons industry has become the most profitable investment. Investing in killing people is indeed nothing short of madness! Such investments can never serve the good of humanity,” he lamented.
While the world may tend to bury everything under worries about daily survival, basing life on the most basic human right to life is, undeniably, a pitiful condition when surrounded by a culture of death. When we turn our sights and steps toward a culture of life that saves everyone without exception, we can live a truly salvific life with greater humanitarian love.
Happy All Saints Day!
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