Faith and Substance in North Korea

True Parents’ work for North Korea is a case study in the application of Divine Principle.

True Father said that unity means “to become one with another through true love without any conditions. One must present the most concrete way toward unity through a movement that practices true love, a movement that will allow two to put their trust and faith in one another. Similarly, the unity of our people must occur through the path where the North and South reconcile and cooperate to become one through the absolute true love of God.”

Victory over communism does not mean death to those who espouse communism. It begins by supplanting atheistic materialism with Godism, the practice of God’s perfect love. That’s the foundation of faith. Then comes the foundation of substance, devoting one’s “full energies to giving life …through economic assistance. …This is …the reason that we invest in and support North Korea unconditionally.”

Political and economic means work only when “preceded by another element. That element is true love. We relate to our North Korean compatriots as brothers and sisters and are advancing …necessary economic aid with a parental heart.”

To build the foundation of faith, True Father took an objective position to his communist counterparts. Upon arrival in Pyeongyang he said that he was there to listen: “After consulting with Chairman Kim Il Sung and Secretary Kim Jong Il and hearing their ideas on the matter, I will be able to make a decision regarding what I personally can do for the sake of my brethren here in the North.”

After the visit, he said that Kim Il Sung was “Not my enemy; I was returning to my hometown to visit the house of my brother. …True love …is the love that Jesus spoke of when he instructed us to love our enemies. As I set foot in Pyongyang, my heart was as clear as the autumn sky.”

True Father advised that “gaining the North Korean government’s trust …increases the inclination in the North to play an active part.” Thus, “The nuclear issues can be resolved peacefully …in the context of a genuine dialogue conducted in the spirit of mutual respect.” 

Faith and substance birthed the Mt. Kumgang Tourist Region and Kaesang Industrial Zone, the high-water marks of peninsular unity. Korea will surpass these today, guided by True Parents’ vision for Peace Zones and the Peace Road.

(Citations: , pp. 997, 1235, 1237; cf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaesong_Industrial_Region. The photo at center is of Rev. and Mrs. Moon during their visit to his boyhood home in Jeongju, North Korea, December, 1991.)