OMF Blog
20. Relationship Between the Koreas
NK Blog - Wednesday 09 December 2009I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 1 Timothy 2:1-2
It is assumed that all the people of South Korea want to help North Korea and desire that the two countries be reunified. But this is not true. Different people in the South want different things. Although officially the government in the South wants to help North Korea and work towards reunification, in actuality, it knows that reunification will be costly. They only need look at the reunification of East and West Germany to see that. South Korea is not as rich as West Germany was; and the difference between the gross national incomes of the North and South is much greater than was the case with the Germanys. Many of the older people, who remember the Korean War and what happened at that time, want to see reunification. Some young people would even be happy to reunify on the North’s terms. Others in the South care about the North but at the same time like their prosperous lifestyle and do not want to give that up for the sake of reunification.
For South Korean Christians, the North poses an ethical dilemma. Some think, “We should not cooperate with the North at all but wait for a major change to happen”; while others think, “We should help the North in whatever way we can, whether that means economic aid or food, or even getting Bibles in.” Some believe, “We should help but have conditions on our aid and expect something in return for all we give.”
- Praise God for how much South and North Korea are talking and cooperating on various matters at this time.
- Pray for South Korea, including the government, to be wise in how it relates to the North.
- Pray for Christians in the South to relate to North Koreans in the way that the Lord wants them to, both on organizational and personal levels.