Responding to North Korea by Dave Barnhart

Responding to North Korea by Dave Barnhart In recent months, escalating tensions between the United States and North Korea have led to anxiety and fear across the world. How can our faith help us to cultivate a sense of peace in an environment of fear? How can Christians respond to political events that seem outside of their control? FaithLink is available by subscription via e-mail (subservices@abingdonpress.com) or by downloading it from the Web (www.cokesbury. com/faithlink). Print in either color or black and white. Copyright 2017 by Cokesbury. Please do not put FaithLink on Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. The Story So Far Technically speaking, the United States is at war with North Korea. In fact, the United States has been at war with North Korea for nearly 60 years. In 1953, the United States and South Korea signed a cease-fire agreement, but not a peace treaty, with North Korea, and the truce has been maintained ever since. In the decades that followed, the occasional border skirmish or espionage attempt has inflamed tensions between the parties involved, but nothing has led to outright war. In 1985, North Korea joined with countries around the world by signing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Despite this, evidence emerged in 2002 that the country had established a secret nuclear weapons program. In 2006, North Korea tested its first nuclear weapon. Since 2006, North Korea has continued its research, and many experts believe the country may possess missiles capable of reaching the mainland United States. For more than a decade, the United States has sought to slow or halt North Korea s nuclear weapons program. The United States has passed economic sanctions on North Korea and tried to apply pressure through China, North Korea s closest ally. In return, North Korea s autocratic government perceives the United States as a threat to attack both externally, through traditional military, or internally by undermining the dictatorship through espionage or an attempted coup. North Korea s leaders have consistently responded to this threat with extreme rhetoric in an attempt both to warn against outside threats and to present a tough face to the people of North Korea. 1

Core Bible Passages Israel and Judah lived with the threat of invasion from neighboring powers for centuries. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was under constant threat from the Assyrian Empire in particular. The Book of Jonah relays the story of God s call for a reluctant prophet to travel to the capital of the Assyrian Empire to call the Assyrians to repentance. Jonah, the prophet in question, refuses at first and runs in the opposite direction (1:1-3). Eventually, when Jonah does arrive, he successfully convinces the people to repent. Despite his success, Jonah is furious with God for showing mercy to the enemies of Israel (Chapter 4). In addition to depictions of God s mercy, the Bible is also filled with visions of peace. Micah 4:3-4 describes a future where weapons will be turned into tools for farming and everyone will have their own property and means of providing for their family. In that day, Micah says that no one will make them afraid any more. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that those who are peacemakers are God s children (Matthew 5:9). Finally, in the Book of Revelation, after chapters filled with terrifying imagery about the end of all things, the author describes a river of life flowing through the New Jerusalem. On either side of the river grows the tree of life, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations (22:1-2). Read the Micah, Matthew, and Revelation passages aloud. Based on these texts, how does the Bible depict peace? Which of these verses connected with you the most? Why? How does the story of Jonah compare to the depictions of peace that we ve just read? Why is Jonah unable to find peace with the Assyrians? In the past, world leaders have typically met this hostile language with a collective shrug. The current president of the United States, however, has responded to this heated rhetoric in kind, leading to increased tensions with North Korea. When our country wants to convince another country to do something, what tools do we have at our disposal? How are these tools similar or dissimilar to the way we engage in our personal relationships? What are the differences between dealing with another person and dealing with a country? Living with the Threat of War Despite the heightened rhetoric and the presence of nuclear weapons, North Korea is unlikely to start a war it knows it can t win. This, however, doesn t mean that North Korea is less of a threat. When considering how to deal with this threat, the people of the United States can learn from the experience of South Korea, whose people have been living with the threat of North Korean attack for six decades. Recently, I spoke with a friend from South Korea, Doyeon Cho, who shared with me how his family views the danger. He reminded me that the North has had artillery aimed at Seoul and Incheon, two cities that make up a quarter of South Korea s population, for decades. Nearly three-quarters of the North s army is within 30 miles of the border and ready to move. Most of the simulations and scenarios, he said, lead to hundreds of thousands killed at least. However, Cho also points out that an invasion is unrealistic. They know they don t have the ability to sustain a war or an invasion because their economy is terrible. North Korea s goal, instead, is to prevent a US invasion. Most South Koreans, he said, are unfazed by the threat. The rise in rhetoric has some worried, he added, not because the North is unpredictable, but because the United States is. The real conflict is between the US and the North, he said. Recently, Cho talked with his parents, who live in the middle of the peninsula. They remember fleeing south 2

No Good Options In a recent article for The Atlantic titled How to Deal with North Korea, author Mark Bowden lays out four possible approaches to handle the situation. The simple summary is that none of them are good. A first strike might nip North Korea s growing nuclear program in the bud, but because of North Korea s proximity to major cities like Seoul and Tokyo and its arsenal of traditional weapons, any response would likely kill millions within hours. Even in victory, the aftereffects could destabilize both the region and the world. With the North Korean regime gone, the country of more than 25 million people could decay into the largest humanitarian crisis of modern times. A limited strike presents similar strategic problems because of the ever-present fear of retaliation against Seoul and the rest of South Korea. Attacking the leadership directly may have a cloak-and-dagger appeal, but it s also risky for many of the reasons mentioned previously. Bowden also points out that there s no guarantee that a replacement would be any better. The final option is to accept the current situation. Bowden points out that this isn t a policy that anyone will officially announce, nor is it especially enticing since it will continue to follow the trajectory of increased tensions in the region. Do you see an alternative to the four approaches suggested by Bowden? How might Bowden s approaches be overly limited? What would a good option be able to accomplish? Why would that be good? as refugees during the Korean War, so Cho asked them where they would go if there was war today. They told him they d stay home, he said. There s nowhere to go. What are your memories of times that our country has faced the threat of war or conflict? What was going on at that time? We ve lived with the threat of nuclear war for decades. How often do you think about it? Do you think it s something that we take for granted? Why or why not? Aiming Prayer into North Korea When I visited South Korea in 2010, I got to witness one unique way South Korean Christians have approached the conflict with the North. Several churches in Korea, including Korean Methodist churches, claim hundreds of thousands of members, far larger than the largest American megachurch. A group of clergy peers and I attended the largest church in the world, Yoido Full Gospel Church, which is comprised of nearly 800,000 members. During our time there, the church took us to Prayer Mountain, a retreat center where the church operated a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week prayer ministry. From the top of the mountain, one can look directly into North Korea. Our guide explained, We decided that if we can aim missiles into North Korea, we can aim prayer into North Korea. Paths led to numerous single-person prayer cells dug into the side of the mountain. The cells were only about four feet high, because those praying inside would be on their knees the entire time. The cafeteria even served special meals to those who were breaking a fast after days of prayer. As we climbed back on the bus to Seoul, a large Korean man, who learned I was a member of the clergy, clapped his hand on my shoulder and turned me to face him. Tell your people, he said with tears in his eyes, fasting prayer breaks the stronghold of Satan! Well-meaning people often talk about praying during times of crisis, but sometimes others find this approach naive and shallow. What kind of effect do you think praying for peace has on North Koreans? 3

The Hermit Kingdom North Korea is often referred to as a hermit kingdom because of its isolationist policies. It has its own self-contained Internet, and citizens can t access media from other countries. Only about three percent of the roads are paved, and life for those living outside the capital, Pyongyang, is difficult. Food shortages are the norm, and the average height of North Koreans is about two inches shorter than South Koreans due to malnutrition. One famous satellite image shows North Korea and its neighbors at night. North Korea is mostly covered by darkness, which contrasts sharply with the bright lights of South Korea and China. According to Human Rights Watch, the country restricts all basic human rights, including freedoms of expression, religion, assembly, and political opposition. The government also allows public executions and torture. Kim Jong Un took power in 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il. Upon his ascension to power, he executed around 60 to 70 government officials to cement his control. Though Americans often casually refer to North Korean leadership as crazy, it s remarkable that one family has managed to hold on to power for over half a century. Denny Roy of the East-West Center in Hawaii argues that instead of being crazy, the regime is ruthless and desperate. What surprised you in this section? How did the information here measure up to what we listed earlier about North Korea? How do discussions of North Korean rulers change our view when we think about the 25 million people who live in the country? Does that change our view of what a good outcome would be? What effect do you think it has on the people doing the praying? Which is more difficult: responding to conflict with aggression or responding to conflict with prayer? Why? How does praying for one s enemies lead to peace? Is it possible to achieve real peace without prayer? Why or why not? Let There Be Peace on Earth Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me. These are the first and last lines of a well-known hymn in The United Methodist Hymnal (431). It s a simple song with simple lyrics, and in the face of global tensions and news that do little to relieve our anxiety or fear, it may seem hopelessly naive. But we must never forget that the Christian story is all about a Savior who promises us peace in the midst of chaos and confusion. In John 14:27, Jesus says to his followers, Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. I give to you not as the world gives. Don t be troubled or afraid. There are two important principles when it comes to making peace. First, we must recognize that we can t control the behavior of others, whether they be individuals or nations. We spend so much time stressing about the irrational behavior of others, but it s vital to understand that we can only respond to the actions of others; we can t control them. Second, we must acknowledge that we often react to others out of our own insecurities. The book Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict, by Jim Ferrell, describes how we often escalate conflicts or justify our own poor behavior through self-deception. The book argues that we spend too much energy trying to correct the behavior of others we re in conflict with instead of looking at our own contributions to the problem or building the kinds of relationships that create peace. True peace only emerges when our hearts are at peace with who we are. It s essential for followers of Jesus to recognize that the escalating war of rhetoric between North Korea and the United States is intended to create fear. Threats are nearly always an attempt to control the behavior of someone else, either by making them afraid or by goading them into action. The peace that Jesus offers begins with the reminder that we re loved by God, and from 4

United Methodist Perspective The United Methodist Social Principles bluntly state, We believe war is incompatible with the teachings and example of Christ. We therefore reject war as an instrument of national foreign policy. We oppose unilateral first/preemptive strike actions and strategies on the part of any government ( 165.C). Resolution #6129, on The United Methodist Church and Peace, points out that the arms race goes on. After many decades and millions of dollars, we are no more secure or peaceful in our world with a larger number of nations in the nuclear club. In response, the resolution calls for strategic disarmament. The resolution also calls for the world s most powerful countries to lead the way in redirecting their military spending toward efforts that curtail poverty and create peace. A 1975 statement titled Bishops Call for Peace and Self-Development of Peoples claims that peace is not simply the absence of war, a nuclear stalemate or combination of uneasy ceasefires. It is that emerging dynamic reality envisioned by prophets where spears and swords give way to implements of peace (Isaiah 2:1-4). The long-term cease-fire between North and South Korea illustrates this principle well. Peace doesn t come about merely because of the absence of direct hostilities, but only when warring parties work together to repair wounds and build a better world. Is it possible for something to be in the best interests of a nation but in opposition to Christianity? How should we handle these situations as citizens of both heaven and our own nation? What do you think about the calls for disarmament found in this section? What is the vision of peace? this place of security, we can be agents of peace in a world filled with conflict. Do you agree that you can t control the behavior of others? Why or why not? Have you ever been in a conflict and become aware of how your own behavior or insecurity was contributing to the conflict? How can we be agents of peace in the world? Helpful Links Though it s three years old, Frontline s documentary Secret State of North Korea offers a glimpse into this totalitarian regime: http://tiny.cc/qzt8ny Frontline has a more current documentary released on October 4, called North Korea s Deadly Dictator, which focuses on the assassination of Kim Jong Un s half-brother: http://tiny.cc/9zt8ny A timeline of North Korean history since World War II is available from the BBC: http://tiny.cc/50t8ny Dave Barnhart is pastor of Saint Junia United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. FaithLink: Connecting Faith and Life is a weekly, topical study and an official resource for The United Methodist Church approved by Discipleship Ministries and published weekly by Cokesbury, The United Methodist Publishing House, 2222 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., P.O. Box 280988, Nashville, TN 37228-0988. Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from the Common English Bible, copyrighted 2011 Common English Bible, and are used by permission. Permission is granted to photocopy this resource for use in FaithLink study groups. All Web addresses were correct and operational at the time of publication. Fax comments to FaithLink, 615-749-6512, or send e-mail to faithlinkgroup@umpublishing.org. For fax problems, fax FREE to 800-445-8189. For e-mail problems, send e-mail to Cokes_Serv@umpublishing.org. To order, call 800-672-1789, or visit our website at www. cokesbury.com/faithlink. 5

Leader Helps Keep in mind your group members and group time as you choose activities for the session. Have smartphones or other devices that can access the Internet available for your group. Invite your participants to bring their own devices to the session. Have several Bibles on hand and a markerboard and markers for writing lists or responses to reflection questions. Open the session with the following prayer or one of your own: God, grant us peace, not through power, force, or inequality, but with justice, love, and your never-ending grace. Help us to develop the fullness of peace in our lives so that we may work to make peace in our world. Amen. Remind the group that people have different perspectives and to honor these differences by treating one another with respect as you explore this topic together. Before the session, draw a large question mark at the top of a markerboard or large piece of paper. Ask: What do you know about North Korea? Invite participants to list things they ve heard on the news or what they know from history and experience. Read or review highlights of each section of the main essay and sidebars. Use the questions in the REFLECT sections to stimulate discussion. When responding to the reflection questions from the section Living with the Threat of War, you might offer some prompts to trigger your participants memories: the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Cold War, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq. Have a Bible study. Ask the group to form teams of two or three to read the Scriptures and to reflect on the questions. Then have the teams share highlights of their discussions with the reassembled group. Close the session by asking participants to reflect on the questions at the end of the United Methodist Perspective section. End the session with the following prayer or one of your own: God, ruler of the universe, you are sovereign over all, yet you give your children the freedom to choose love or hatred, war or peace. You have poured out your peace with justice through Jesus Christ, and you call us to be peacemakers as well. Teach us the ways of peace, that we may witness to the rule of your kingdom in which all humans thrive. Amen. Teaching Alternatives Watch either of the Frontline documentaries about North Korea mentioned in Helpful Links. Discuss these films as a group and focus especially on how the information contained within them has helped you to develop a better understanding of North Korea. Think about how we might achieve the best outcome for the people of North Korea. Invite someone to your session who had first-hand experience in the Korean War. Invite them to talk to your group about their story and their time in Korea. Ask them about their insights on the current conflict with North Korea and if they view any similarities between the two situations. Next Week in Responding to Tragedy We live in an era where suffering and tragedy seem endless. The events of the past few months have been particularly painful. As people of faith, how does suffering change our perception of God? How can we respond to bad news in a healthy, proactive way? Copyright 2017 by Cokesbury. Permission given to copy for use in a group setting. Please do not put FaithLink on your website for downloading. 6