The recent announcement of the North Korea's nuclear experiment gave great shock and concern to the Korean people and all those who love peace. Peace is the gift the Risen Lord gave to our humanity. We cannot but feel deep sorrow for the choice of our North Korean brethren who must cooperate with us to maintain the peace. Even if it was for self-defence, nuclear weapon cannot be justified in any way. In this regard, the Catholic Church in Korea already made clear her position by issuing a statement entitled "We Want Peace, Not War!" (issued on February 14, 2003 by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea), in which we explicitly opposed the attack to Iraq conducted by the United States of America under the pretense of eliminating weapons of mass destruction.

For the recent several years, the South and the North have maintained peaceful exchanges, through which the two Koreas came to recognize the other not as an enemy but as one people, the same brethren. Hence no one should block the way of reconciliation which the South and the North have paved through all efforts, nor should turn back the streams of the peace and unity running through the Korean Peninsula. Furthermore, no one should make use of this situation to provoke hatred and confrontation.

For peace to take roots in Korea, the Joint Declaration on the Denuclearization of Korean Peninsular, which was adopted in 1991, must be effectively practiced. This can be achieved only through dialogue with patience. Hatred begets hatred and violence begets violence. Therefore, the Catholic Church in Korea firmly refuses any form of violence. The international society must walk the difficult way toward reconciliation and peace with patience, not through wars or confrontation but through dialogue and negotiation. Peace can be achieved only through incessant forgiveness and reconciliation.

Though the Korean Peninsular is shocked at the nuclear experiment by the North Korea, we put our trust in Christ, our peace (cf. Eph 2:14) without restlessness of mind, and heartly wish that we could bring the real peace in this country with all the people working for peace altogether.

  O Lord, make me an instrument of Thy Peace!
  Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
  Where there is injury, pardon;
  Where there is discord, harmony.

October 13, 2006

+ Lucas Kim Woon-hoe
President
Committee for the Reconciliation of the Korean People of the CBCK

+ Boniface Choi Ki-san
President
Committee for Justice & Peace of the CBCK