February 2010

Korean and Japanese Religious Youths Meet for Dialogue

The tenth Japan-Korea Youth Exchange Program was held February 23-28 in a hotel in Seoul, South Korea, under the theme "The Role of Religious Youth of Korea and Japan for Promoting Peace in East Asia." Sixty youths from religious organizations in South Korea and Japan participated. The program, which started in 1990 and schedules events every two years, was cosponsored by the Youth Committee of the Japanese Committee of the World Conference of Religions for Peace and the Korean Conference on Religion and Peace (KCRP). The program aims to build trust through interfaith dialogue between religious youth of the two countries, and to encourage them to cooperate on concrete plans for promoting peace. From Rissho Kosei-kai, 30 members took part, including Rev. Koichi Matsumoto, director of the Youth Department and of the Youth Committee of Religions for Peace Japan.

Before the opening ceremony on February 24, the participants visited Independence Park in Seoul to hold a memorial service for Koreans who died under Japanese rule. The park was the site of Seodaemun Prison, where many fighters for independence from Japan were confined until 1945.

At the opening ceremony the participants were greeted by Rev. Yun Bup Dal, president of the Youth Committee of KCRP, and Rev. Matsumoto. Then Dr. Kim Sunggon, secretary-general of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace, gave a talk in which he emphasized the significance of this year's program coinciding with the centenary of Japan's annexation of Korea. He said he hoped the gathering would inspire true forgiveness, as well as reconciliation and friendship between the two countries.

After that the participants divided into four groups to discuss such themes as peace, reconciliation, understanding, and respect, and their own efforts for world peace.

On February 25, the youths toured the Odusan Unification Observatory, near the border with North Korea. Later, at Dorasan Station, the northern terminus of the Gyeongui Line of the railway that once connected North and South Korea, they prayed silently for peace in Northeast Asia and Korea's unification.

Afterward the Japanese participants experienced Korean lifestyles during two-day homestays with Korean families affiliated with KCRP member organizations. (Photo courtesy of Religions for Peace Japan)

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