Church agency staff forges talks with North Korean educators
9/2/1998 News media contact: Linda Green · (615) 742-5470 · Nashville, Tenn By Kathy Gilbert* Ten years of slowly building mutual trust and respect between North Korea's leaders and the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry culminated in a recent visit by agency staff to that country, who met with educators and governmental officials.
The board staff spent a week in June visiting North Korean schools and meeting with educators and government officials. The group included the Rev. Roger Ireson, top staff executive of the Nashville, Tenn.,-based agency; the Rev. Kil Sang Yoon, a director in the division of ordained ministry; Ken Yamada, an executive in the division of higher education; and Benjamin Ladner, president of American University in Washington, D.C.
The visit was a dream of Yoon, a native of South Korea. He has made numerous trips to North Korea since 1989.
"I was tired of seeing the world through only one eye. I grew up with many prejudices, and I didn't want to live that way anymore," Yoon said, in explaining why he is so passionate about opening relations between the churchwide agency and North Korea.
"Each time I go to North Korea, it is a growing and learning experience for me. I go to listen with the heart of a pastor. It has been a gift for me to develop this relationship," he said.
Through his many visits, Yoon has been able to establish relationships with officials, and he is held in high esteem, Ireson said.
"We were able to build friendships, and we came away with a better understanding of the North Korean people," Ireson said. "A measure of the trip's success was that they want us to return and continue our dialogue."
Future plans between the agency and North Korea will include more trips, with representatives from other United Methodist-related schools participating, he said.
"While some limited programmatic possibilities might exist, such as inviting North Korean scholars for a conference and seminars, at the present time it is very important to make a sincere effort to having continuing face-to-face dialogue with North Korean educators to develop mutual friendships and trust," Yamada said.
North Korea is very influenced by the late president Kim Il Sung and his Juche philosophy, which emphasizes self-reliance and independence, Ireson said.
"My first impression of North Korea is they have suffered a long and tortured history of occupation by foreign powers," Ireson said. "They have suffered from a lack of freedom and pressure to destroy their culture. At the same time, I was also impressed by their tremendous spirit and their struggle to develop into a modern nation."
The visit was coordinated by Yong Sun Kim, chair of the Asia Pacific Peace Committee, and his staff members, Pyong Chol Sin, and Byong Chol.
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*Gilbert is a staff member in the Office of Interpretation at the Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
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