The Reconciliation and Reunification Committee of the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) sent a letter on August 10 to South Korean President Moon Jae-In urging immediate dialogue to defuse the increased tensions between the North and South on the Korean peninsula.

The letter says, in part: “Military tension is at its height in the Korean peninsula and there is fear of war spreading among the people. We understand that you are also deeply concerned, but the lives of the people in South Korea should not be threatened by the provocative acts of the US and North Korea.

“The road to peace is a difficult one, but the harder it gets the more important it is that we keep the principle. Dialogue is meant to resolve such extreme situations, which is why its affect is so highly valued. We cannot start sincere dialogues when we place blame for the opponent’s extreme actions or when we insist various preconditions for dialogue.

“We sincerely ask of the President that you swiftly take matters into hand. We ask that through unconditional dialogues, the two Koreas pave a way to independently resolve the neo-Cold War crisis in the Korean peninsula.”

The letter also states: “In order to transform the present crisis into an opportunity and open the door for dialogue, we humbly ask you to immediately dispatch a special envoy to North Korea.” (WCRC)

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