Chapter 2 The Unification Movement in Korea

1987 - The Unification of the Fatherland

The dawn of 1987 signified that only one year remained before the conclusion of the first seven-year course of the second 21-year course, and the first three years of the forty-year course. This year represented the crucial point determining whether providential history would be prolonged or a new providential era could begin, depending on whether humankind fulfilled its responsibility.

At midnight on God's Day in the Grand Ballroom on the second floor of the World Mission Center, Reverend Moon wrote the motto The Unification of the Fatherland in Chinese calligraphy. Members attended prayer services in the local churches at the same time, and a commemorative prayer service at ten o'clock in the morning.

Church president Young-whi Kim announced direction for the church at the ten o'clock commemorative service.

They were: 1. Let's establish a parent-child relationship with God; 2. Let's establish a family and church in which God resides; and 3. Let's complete tribal restoration through Home Church activity.

President Kim earnestly asked members to devote their efforts to making the year meaningful by praying together, and by marching forward to let God take dominion over history.

The church held special training for the nationwide church leadership from January 13 to 15 at the Central Training Center. The 258 church leaders who attended from around the country, who included those from Regions 1 and 2 in Seoul, set up goals and a strategy for membership training and maturation of faith.

A starting-out ceremony for the eleventh mobile students witnessing team was held at the Chungpa-dong Headquarters Church on January 9. During the ceremony, organized by both CARP and the International Christian Students Association, President Young-whi Kim encouraged the 103 members, saying that if they had the conviction that they should go, rather than just going unwillingly, then the way would open up, and their sacrifice would have the maximum value.

The Sung Hwa Seminary Enrollment Ceremony was held at the auditorium in Chonan on March 2, attended by fifty-two freshmen with their parents. Sung Hwa Seminary had received its provisional charter from the Korea Ministry of Education, with authority to confer four-year college degrees, on January 19. One hundred six candidates had applied for admission, among which fifty-two were accepted. Sung Hwa Seminary had finally achieved the substantial character of a chartered educational institution.

On March 31, the Holy Wedding of Hyung-jin Moon, third son of Reverend Moon and Mrs. Moon, and Jun-sook Kwak, third daughter of Chung-hwan Kwak, was held at the Grand Ballroom in the World Mission Center, followed by a congratulatory banquet in the Manhattan Center.

Reverend Moon arrived in Korea just before five o'clock in the afternoon of April 9, five months and sixteen days since he had departed. During his stay in America, Reverend Moon had presided over the Fifteenth International Conference on the Unity of the Sciences and the Parents' Day Celebrations, held leaders' training for the revival of America, pushed the International Highway Project forward, and engaged 1,031 couples. Reverend Moon directed Dr. Bo-hi Pak and Chung-hwan Kwak to hold a nationwide university lecture tour to conquer left-wing ideologies on the college campuses.

Reverend Moon founded the Citizens Federation for the Unification of the Fatherland (President: Hang-nyung Lee) at the Little Angels Performing Arts Center on May 15, and donated a fund of five billion won. In his inaugural speech before an audience of 1,500 who shared Reverend Moon's determination, he asserted [in the Korean-language version of the speech]:

"We are standing on the front line of the advancement of history. Let us go forward to establish a practicable worldwide foundation with determination and with the pride of achieving the unification of North and South Korea, the most monumental chapter in the eternal history of this people."  

Prior to that, rallies to establish the Citizens Federation for the Unification of the Fatherland had been held nationwide in then cities from May 4 to 14 in front of audiences totaling 11,000.

A direction for the mobilization of the blessed wives, for one year and seven months from June 1, 1987, to December 31, 1988, was given with the aim of establishing a foundation for the unification of Korea and to invigorate the Citizens Federation for the Unification the Fatherland. The mobilization points were the hometown of the husbands or wives. Witnessing areas were selected by the wives and reported to the regional churches, and the main headquarters in Seoul supervised the implementation of the plan.

As 1987 was significant in the history of the providence due to the establishment of the Citizens Federation for the Unification of the Fatherland, the potential of the church could be seen by  its investment in this field. This was a year of considerable civil disorder, when the church observed a shifting in the citizens' ideology to the left, and laid stress on ideological training in preparation for reunification.

The 1987 World Professors Lecture Tour Through Korea, this year sponsored by the Citizens Federation for the Unification of the Fatherland, was held in 165 regions nationwide from August 12 to 14.

This lecture tour, in which 130 professors from nine nations participated, continued over a three-day period, with each of the fifty-five teams of between one and three members visiting one region per day.

Reverend Moon, who had departed for America on June 18, returned to Korea three months later on September 9, and presided over the Ninth World Media Conference. It was held at the Lotte Hotel from September 20 to 25, attended by 247 prominent media representatives including editors, and publishers of major daily newspapers, weekly news magazines, and monthly magazines. Under the theme Media Responsibility in a Divided World, Reverend Moon emphasized that the media should stand on the front line of the battle against injustice, and for the protection of freedom.