The 8th 더 PEACE TALK: PEACE RACE- On the Road of History

Hello, everyone! Hot summer it is! Many people are enjoying their vacation and holidays. The 8th 더 PEACE is going to have a special tour time.

The 8th 더 PEACE TALK: PEACE RACE- On the Road of History

The city of Busan was the provisional capital during during Korean War. So, in Busan, there are museums to remind us of Korean War period: Memorial Hall of Provisional Capital, Modern History Museum. With exiting group missions, we can hear the stories of Korean War and history, also sharing opinions of peace and each country's stories! After the tour, we can have a good time with a delicious meal together, too.

☞When: August 24 3:00-6:00 PM

☞Meeting Place: Toseong Exit 2 (Line 1: orange line #109)

☞Tour Place: Memorial Hall of Provisional Capital → Modern History Museum

☞Admission Fee: FREE

☞Links: 

* Memorial Hall of Provisional Capital: http://monument.busan.go.kr (Korean)

http://engmuseum.busan.go.kr/sub4/01_01.htm (English)

(There are Chinese, Russian, Japanese pages: Click the button at the top)

*근대 역사관: http://modern.busan.go.kr/main/

(There are English, Chinese, Russian, Japanese pages: Click the button at the top)

☞Contact: 010.6718.0091/ mannamthepeace@gmail.com

안녕하세요 여러분 :) 매우 무더운 여름! 많은 분들이 휴가, 방학을 즐기고 있을 것 같네요. 이번 8회 더 PEACE는 무더운 여름 휴가 시즌을 맞아 특별한 순서로 준비했습니다.

제 8회 더 PEACE TALK: PEACE RACE - 역사의 길을 걷다

부산은 6.25 한국 전쟁 당시에 임시 수도였습니다. 부산에는 그 전쟁을 기억할 수 있는 당시의 임시 수도 기념관과 근대 역사관이 있습니다. 재미있는 미션과 함께 박물관을 투어하면서 함께 한국 전쟁뿐 아니라 각자 나라의 전쟁과 역사에 관한 이야기도 나누고, 평화에 관한 생각들도 나누는 시간 가지려고 합니다!! 또 투어 후에는 맛있게 식사도 같이해요 :)  

☞일시: 2013년 8월 24일 오후 3시-6시

☞모이는 장소: 토성역 2번 출구 (1호선)

☞방문할 장소: 임시 수도 기념관 → 근대 역사관

☞관람료: 무료

☞관련 홈페이지:

*임시 수도 기념관: http://monument.busan.go.kr (한국어)

http://engmuseum.busan.go.kr/sub4/01_01.htm (영어)

(중국어, 러시아, 일본어도 있습니다: 위쪽 버튼 이용)

*근대 역사관: http://modern.busan.go.kr/main/

(영어, 중국어, 일본어, 러시아어 있습니다: 위쪽 버튼 이용)

☞문의처: 010.6718.0091/ mannamthepeace@gmail.com

MANNAM Volunteer Association in South Korea 5: Declaration of Unification

  These days, international societies are worrying about Korean Peninsula, especially the escalating tension between South Korea and North Korea. Some of friends not in Korea may send messages or call their friends in Korea and ask if they feel the sign of war. This issue is being covered in daily news every day and it makes me worry about Korea and think of the past histories of Korea and Korean War. A few of person argue the war between two Koreas then Korean Peninsula will be reunified. However, is it the best way of reunification?

  War with the arms – nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, landmines, uranium munitions – causes countless victims to be killed or live in pain in their whole life. Especially, nuclear weapons – I’ll write about it later posts – are many times powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. Today’s typical bomb (150-kiloton) would cause between 730,000 and 8,660,000 deaths depending on the population density of the city.[1]

  Can you imagine what will happen in Korea if war breaks out? Why do we have to pay numerous deaths to reunify Korea although we can achieve peaceful unification?

  You may agree the reunification of Korea or not and you may agree peaceful unification or not. But the one thing that you keep in mind is that violence begets violence, terror inspires terror, and war gives rise to war. If Korea will not be unified, there is still the probability of a war in the world. And if Korea achieved unification through war, there is still the probability of a war, too!

  Recently, I read Declaration of Unification from MANNAM official website: mannamintl.org when visiting to see the newly updated site to get sources to introduce national events of our organization. It is worth reading. It was written by 33 representatives of citizens. The main representative writer is Man Hee Lee who is the honorary chairman of MANNAM Volunteer Association. Many controversies are there about him. The members never want a certain religious group to rule / occupy our MANNAM. Rather, whatever religions members have, MVA members try to tolerate one another and make harmonious life together. Despite of controversies around him, his experience of war and an insight into histories cannot be ignored.

Here are the parts of Declaration of Unification:

           …we are still pointing guns at people of our own race. How can this be the will of our forefathers, patriots and the Korean people today?
 First, just like East and West Germany, the leaders of South and North Korea must gather to discuss unification for the sake of this country and its citizens. This is not only the wish of the nation and its people but the peace the whole world whishes for. Second, if our leaders truly love this nation and its citizens, they will work to establish a unified nation the citizens with for and a country where people live happily in abundance. How can a nation which is divided stand with confidence in this world? The leaders of South and North Korea must ensure that the Korean Peninsula will not be shamed. Third, we must all lay down our weapons and allow our citizens to travel freely throughout the Korean Peninsula.

Peace cannot come from gun. How do you think? 

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[1] Mary-wynne Ashford & Guy Dauncey. (2006). Enough Blood Shed: 101 Solutions to Violence, Terror and War. Canada: New Society Publishers.