“I felt peace with my family yesterday, but today I felt the pain of division. I hope that South and North Korea will reunite as soon as possible and that the Koreans scattered around the world like us can regain their identity as Koreans.”
One of the participants in Global Peace Foundation’s (GPF) Korean cultural education tour on July 2018 reflected on the plight of the divided Korean peninsula as a group of 47 participants walked around an observation deck with rare views of North Korea. The group desired to reconnect to their identity and traveled from China to visit their ancestral home of Korea. The Korean diaspora in China is one of the largest in the world with over two million ethnic Koreans living primarily in the northeastern provinces.
One woman marveled at the scenic views when the group traveled to the east coast area of Gangwon province. “I never witnessed the beauty of the sea in Korea. But after seeing it, I was in awe.”
The GPF educational tour was a collaboration between the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, KC Mutual Growth Planning Committee, and the Association of One Harmony. Program participants had the opportunity to learn about Korean history, particularly the background of the current division of the peninsula, by touring Gangneung Ojukheon, Goseong Unification Observatory and the 6/25 War Experience Pavilion.
Participants also listened to presentations by Mr. Baek San Kim, president of the Global Peace Institute, and Mr. Yong Sun Kim, chair of the Chinese Federation of Korean Unions. The presenters spoke on the leading role of Koreans on the mainland and in the diaspora in realizing the “Korean Dream,” a vision for a unified Korea based on values and principles derived from Korea’s rich spiritual heritage, shared by the people from both the North and South. They stated their hope of continuing to build their network with Koreans in the diaspora and to find ways to work together for reunification.