wfn.org | [PCUSANEWS] solution to Korea crisis

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Note #7819 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

03268
June 19, 2003

Humanitarain aid, not military force, is solution to Korea crisis, church leaders say

Group to take message directly to U.S. government officials

by Carol Fouke
NCC News

WASHINGTON - In the face of mounting tensions between the United States and North Korea, religious leaders from South Korea and the United States joined humanitarian experts June 18 in calling for the U.S. government to promote a peaceful solution to the crisis.

They pressed for the prompt reconvening of talks with North Korea and an end to the threat of preemptive force.  At the same time as those talks address North Korea's nuclear program, they also must address the North's security concerns, economic and humanitarian needs, the religious leaders said.

"A clear statement from the White House that North Korea will not be attacked will establish a political climate for progress in negotiations," they said.

The appeal is the result of a three?day consultation on the Korea crisis, sponsored by the National Council of Churches USA and Church World Service. The consultation was attended by close to 80 Korea experts from churches, humanitarian agencies, the United Nations, academia and other sectors from the United States, South Korea, Canada and other countries.

Urged NCC General Secretary Bob Edgar: "We need to advance not a view of preemptive war but of diplomatic priorities, not of first strike but a view of care for one another.  If we want to show shock and awe, we need to show love and justice."

The NCC and CWS, together with their 36 member denominations, have been working with their North and South Korean counterparts for more than two decades in peace building, reconciliation and humanitarian assistance. Concerned about the escalation in tensions between the United States and North Korea, they met this week to seek to bring their particular voice in favor of a peaceful resolution of the Korea crisis.

Specifically the leaders called for:

* The prompt reconvening of talks with North Korea - "It is our conviction that diplomacy and negotiations remain the best approach for finding durable solutions," they said.
* The conclusion of a non?aggression pact between North Korea and the United States, renouncement of pre?emptive attack and negotiation of a peace Treaty to replace the present Armistice Treaty of 1953.
* The establishment and exchange of liaison offices between the United States and North Korea as a sign of good faith.

Immediate action to address the grave humanitarian needs of the North Korean people, whose very lives depend on external food aid. They asked for additional support for the World Food Program to prevent further deterioration in the health of the population.

The consultation reached its agreement after three days of input and discussion with Korea experts, and faith-based humanitarian agencies providing direct aid, and advocacy with U.S. policy makers.

Comments by participants

Maurice Strong, advisor on Korea issues to United Nations Secretary General
Kofi Annan: "If the United States were to take the lead in effecting a peaceful settlement, it would get universal support."

Dr. Selig S. Harrison of the Center for International Policy: "We can get a settlement if we want one. The question is whether the U.S. government wants it or just wants an excuse for regime change."

CWS Executive Director John L. McCullough: "We continue to mourn the separation of the Korean people. Because a formal treaty was never concluded, a state of war still officially exists between the U.S. and North Korea. On July 27, the world will mark the 50th anniversary of the Armistice Agreement that divided the Korean peninsula into North and South.  It is imperative church leaders from the United States and from Korea come together and merge our voices and passion to effect a different future."

Consultation message on the Korea crisis

As members of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America (NCCCUSA) and Church World Service and Witness (CWSW), concerned with a more peaceful and just world, we call attention to the profound social, political and humanitarian crisis affecting the Korean peninsula today.

 From June 16 - 18, 2003, the NCCCUSA and CWSW sponsored a consultation in Washington, DC with our church partners from the National Councils of Churches in Korea and Japan, church agencies from Canada, the Christian Conference of Asia and the World Council of Churches.  This consultation focused on the search for the means toward lasting peace in the Korean peninsula.

For two decades, the NCCCUSA and CWSW have actively engaged their member
communions in responding to the Korean people's aspiration for peace and
reunification.	
	
We have encouraged our government and Congress to take bold steps to help
break down the walls of division between North and South Korea.  We have met
with and facilitated contacts between the Christian communities of North and
South.	And since the famine began in 1996, Church World Service has provided
over $4 million in humanitarian aid.  

We now call upon all the parties concerned diligently to work for and
participate in a process to defuse any potential military conflict, and
expand its efforts to resolve the crisis of hunger threatening the well being
of millions of North Koreans.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to ministries of reconciliation,
to work unceasingly to break down the barriers that divide human beings one
from another.  This reconciliation is urgently needed today in Korea, which
for half a century has been divided.  The people who live in this divided
country are yearning for reunification.  

Reconciliation is also necessary between the USA and North Korea.  The
churches must engage in a ministry of reconciliation reaching out to
Christians and Korean people of other faiths to engage them in dialogue as
well as to affirm our common humanity with all
members of God's family.

We note that in the period leading up to 1999, and again in April this year,
North Korea had taken steps towards reducing tensions by making concessions
in its nuclear program.  Unfortunately, the U.S. has not responded in kind
nor has the international community. 

The need for embarking on a sustained dialogue is borne out by recent events.
 North Korea's first announcement to U.S. envoys in April, in Beijing, China,
that it already possesses nuclear bombs, its extreme nervousness about the
implications of the Bush Administration's "preemptive war" policy, and the
ongoing humanitarian emergency in the country make it imperative that the
U.S. move forward urgently on a comprehensive dialogue with North Korea. 
Building on the Beijing talks that included Chinese participation, such a
dialogue needs to address not only the North's nuclear program but also its
security concerns, and economic and humanitarian needs.  

A clear statement from the White House that North Korea will not be attacked
will establish a political climate for progress in negotiations. 
Confrontational policies risk provoking North Korea's rulers to escalate the
nuclear crisis, to press ahead with the further development of its nuclear
program, and to significantly increase the risk for millions of people on the
Korean peninsula.

We the participants of the consultation propose the following plan of action:

I. The churches:

a. We urge our member communions to: 1) encourage their congregations to
contemplate how the Gospel's call to be peacemakers applies to their
understanding of the Korean situation, 2) be advocates for the resolution of
the current conflict through peaceful means, 3) dialogue with members of
Congress to press ahead for a multilateral and diplomatic solution to the
current crisis and 4) urge the President to continue with negotiations and
not draw back from the potential of war with North Korea and increase
humanitarian assistance as a sign of goodwill and the desire for peace.

b. We call on the ecumenical community to continue to nurture their ties with
the Christian community on the Korean peninsula and to renew its cooperation
in common advocacy, information sharing and regular visits, particularly to
the isolated Christian family in North Korea.  Just as we know that God will
not leave a people without witness, we are confident that our loving God will
not abandon the people of North Korea.

c. We encourage the participation and cooperation of all Koreans in the
diaspora in these activities.

II. Negotiations

a. We call for the prompt reconvening of talks with North Korea. We urge that
the talks not only focus on the nuclear issue but include developing means
and mechanisms	to a sustainable peace on the Korean peninsula.  We recognize
that various proposals are under consideration as are the modalities for
negotiations.  Given that a comprehensive and lasting peace requires
international cooperation, we encourage the international community
particularly those countries in the region, to participate as actively as
appropriate. It is our conviction that diplomacy and negotiations remain the
best approach for finding durable solutions.

b. There should be a clear U.S. statement in favor of a peaceful resolution
to the tensions on the peninsula.  As part of a reenergized dialogue to
arrive at a comprehensive settlement for peace and political reunion on the
peninsula, we urge the administration to pledge not to preemptively attack
North Korea, to conclude a non?aggression pact and to move toward a
comprehensive peace formally ending the "state of war" that has existed since
1953.  In this regard, ending the Armistice and replacing it with a peace
treaty will help promote a political climate conducive to lasting peace on
the peninsula.

III. Humanitarian crisis

a. The grave humanitarian crisis of hunger, chronic malnutrition and related
diseases facing the North Korean people challenge the international community
to take immediate action to help address the immense needs, including an
immediate additional contribution to the World Food Program to prevent
further deterioration in the health of the population. UN Secretary General,
Kofi Annan and the top officials of both the World Food Program and UNICEF
have issued urgent appeals calling attention to the deteriorating
humanitarian crisis. We further urge the U.S. administration to immediately
begin a dialogue on humanitarian aid.

b. We appeal to the member communions to contribute generously to CWS's 2003
Appeal on North Korea and to other agencies appropriate.

c. We strongly encourage the international community and our churches
urgently to provide assistance in health and agricultural sectors where there
are immense needs.  Medicine and medical equipment are in very short supply. 
Animal husbandry, livestock production, fertilizers, farm equipment and seeds
will be enormously beneficial to the farmers and farm cooperatives.

 IV. Economic engagement

We encourage increased trade, commerce and investment with North Korea
especially in view of changes taking place in the North Korean economy. Such
an engagement will enable the latter to increase its interaction with the
international community at multiple levels thus providing a better foundation
for political stability and economic sustainability in North East Asia.

V. Inter-Korean Relations

Critical for the future of the Korean peninsula is affirmation and respect
for the sovereignty of the Korean people.  Equally important is continued
improvement in inter-Korean relationships.  We celebrate the implementation
of the sunshine policy and the June 2000 summit in promoting social, cultural
and economic exchange programs.  The Dec.13, 1991 Inter-Korean Agreement for
Non-Aggression, Reconciliation, Exchange and Cooperation should continue to
be implemented jointly by both authorities.  More opportunities for family
reunion involving far more numbers of Koreans should be further arranged
between North and South.

VI. US-North Korea Relations

Confidence-building measures to support peace efforts remain key for improved
relations between the US and North Korea.  We urge the U.S. government to
refrain from any punitive initiatives towards North Korea and not to impose
restrictions on North Korea's ability to engage in its economic development. 
Furthermore, we encourage the establishment and exchange of liaison offices
between the U.S. and North Korea as a sign of good faith for improving
bilateral relations leading ultimately to the normalization of relations.  We
also call for more frequent exchanges between separated Korean families the
U.S. and North Korea.

Our Hope

Out of the crisis of today, we affirm that a more hopeful future will one day
come to all of the people of Korea.  We affirm the commitment of the churches
to take a stand in solidarity with the Korean people and to take actions to
support reunification and peace.  We give thanks to God that in the life,
death and resurrection of Jesus God has promised a new humanity, in which we
are no longer strangers to one another but citizens and members of the house
of God, with Jesus Christ himself as the corner stone (Ephesians 2: 14?20.)

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