Chapter 2 The Unification Movement in Korea

1977 - The Realization of the Kingdom of Heaven through Ideal Families

"Up until 1976, history was that of restoration through indemnity, such that if one failed, one had to go back to the rockiest path and take the risk of walking the individual course of restoration through indemnity anew, vertically and from the beginning. Today, however, since the providence of God has expanded horizontally, we are entering the age when the contribution we make cannot be taken away by Satan. As the indestructible foundation for the victory was provided through establishing the standard of indemnity centering on the worldwide level, this foundation to be connected horizontally, surpassing the results of individual indemnity, extending to the family, tribe, race, and nation for the sake of heaven. It is the time when all the results of your faithful efforts for heaven can remain in the realm of heaven."

"Now the problem that the Unification Church faces is to achieve the foundation of the ideal family on the individual level, and to accomplish the will of God by being united together wherever we are. Efforts toward this can become the stepping-stones to the assimilation of Satan's shattered world."

The above statement is excerpted from Reverend Moon's God's Day address for 1977. One can sense a great deal of change not only in the meaning of the providence but also in the activities undertaken during the year. The first change was to all-out witnessing coupled with the strengthening of education. Reverend Moon directed that a large "X" be drawn on the map of the United States to divide the nation into four new church regions, added to which San Francisco, as a special region, would make five in all. Reverend Moon further directed that one mobile team be dispatched to each of the five newly formed regions, and that the number of regions should increase continuously. Reverend Moon also planned the production of educational films about the Principle and to begin television broadcasts. From that point on, the development of educational films began in earnest.

Following the declaration of the Day of Victory of Heaven on October 4 of the previous year, Reverend Moon designated February 23, l977 (January 6 on the lunar calendar) as the Day of Victory of Earth and announced the first year of the Kingdom of Heaven. He declared that the new age would emerge from that time on.

Following the dispatch of numerous missionaries in 1975, Mrs. Won-bok Choi had guided them in matters of the heart. The, on July 5, 1977, Reverend Chung-hwan Kwak was appointed to be director of World Mission, and the World Mission Headquarters was in full-scale operation from July 7.

On February 21, the 74-couple International Blessing was held in the United States for more senior brides and bridegrooms from eleven nations.

In Korea, there were some personnel changes as Hwan-chae Hwang, director of the General Affairs Department, was elevated to the position of church president, and Reverend Young-whi Kim was appointed as chairman of the Board of Directors of the HSA-UWC Foundation. This personnel change followed the arrest and incarceration of ten of the Foundation staff, including its secretary-general, and the executive director of the II Hwa Company, on charges that the II Hwa Company, under the control of the Foundation, had evaded certain taxes. The case was announced on February 5 by the National Police Headquarters Special Investigation Division.

Although ultimately the verdict of the trial judge on May 30, 1978, would be "not guilty" it is undeniable that the so-called "II Hwa Incident" had considerable adverse impact on the church mission in the meantime. Church activities therefore continued quietly such that only a handful of annual events, including the church president's tour of the districts, Sunday school teacher training, training for the wives of church lectures, training for church leaders and the generals meeting for blessed families, were held. There were few events worthy of special mention, but the establishment of a CARP mobile witnessing team, and the opening of the Unification Theology Seminary (in Korea) on May 10 deserve note.

This was indeed a year when difficulties piled up one upon another. The following are instances of problems encountered during the course of 1977:

The case of apostate Yeon-won Lee.

The case in  which  former KCIA director Hyung-wook Kim disseminated false statements that Missionary  Bo-hi Pak was a KCIA agent.

The case in which the Congressional subcommittee on International Organizations (Chairman: Congressman Donald Fraser) was, on February 3, commissioned to investigate the Unification Church, and thereby damaged the image of the church through various indiscretions.

On December 4, an IOWC team of 133 members was mobilized to Japan, following which they came to Korea to witness.

On November 12, Young-whi Kim, chairman of the HSA-UWC Foundation's  Board of Directors was also appointed to the position of church president.

Notable events this year included:

March 4: Founding of the Sun Hwa High School.

July 1: Consecration  of the new Headquarters Church.

July 5: Founding of One-Way Productions film company.

July 7: Establishment of World Mission Headquarters.

August 1: Publication of the Weekly Religion paper in Tokyo.

November 12: Third Foundation Chairman's soccer tournament.

November 27: Inception of the Global Congress of World Religions.