50 Years Since Huge 1,2 Million Rally in Seoul

One of the largest rallies ever held in South Korea took place 50 years ago voicing opposition to the North’s communist “religion”

See also Anti-Communism Warning 50 Years Ago and Today

It’s today 50 years since a monumental event in the history of the Family Federation, then called the Unification Church. On 7^th June 1975, the World Rally for Korean Freedom was held at Yeouido (Korean: 여의도) Plaza in Seoul. It was a massive public event organized by the church. It was part of a broader international campaign during the 1970s to rally support for South Korea during a critical period in its history and a time of intense Cold War tension and ongoing threat from communist North Korea.

Yeouido (Yoido) Plaza is a prominent area in Seoul which was often used for large political and religious gatherings. It is estimated that 1,2 million people attended the event, making it one of the largest gatherings in South Korea at the time.

The main speaker was Rev. Sun Myung Moon (1920-2012). He delivered a powerful speech titled “Korea in the World”. In his address, he:

• • Emphasized Korea’s divine mission to lead the world spiritually.
  • Warned against the spread of communism and urged the free world to unite in defense of democratic values.
  • Presented the Unification Church‘s teachings as a path to resolving global ideological conflict.
  • Called for moral and family-centered renewal as the foundation for peace.

In his speech, Father Moon said,

“Today we can find the reason why we must oppose Communism and annihilate its criminal actions from the face of the earth. Communism is not only the enemy of mankind, but more significantly it is the enemy of God. Communism is not only an ideological system of politics and economics, but it is also a form of religion based on atheism.

Communism completely controls human thinking, action and way of life, which is the unique force that only a religion can have. And Communism is a religion insisting that there is no God. Moreover, the ideology itself takes the place of God in human thinking, action and way of life, making human beings into slaves and machines.

Therefore, Communism is an unforgivable enemy which opposes God. It is a satanic religion wanting to annihilate God from the face of the earth. For Communism to win victory on the earth is for God to be defeated completely on the earth. It is God‘s defeat before it is the defeat of democracy and the free world. Therefore, Communism is God‘s enemy even before it is the enemy of mankind.

However, omniscient and omnipotent God cannot be defeated. God will not merely watch Communism win victory over the whole world.

Therefore, in today’s rally we must realize that the Unification Church and other virtuous religions who believe in God will surely win victory over Communism, the satanic religion denying God. I sincerely declare that the Unification Church, who calls God our Father, and all the other religious people with their obedience and faith should defeat God‘s enemy, Communism, which is trying to kill God.” (Translated from Korean)

According to the organizers, the rally was intended to show support for the anti-communist stance of South Korea and promote Korean reunification under democratic values. The goal was to highlight the need for spiritual and moral renewal in confronting communism and emphasize the importance of global solidarity in protecting freedom and peace.

The rally took place during a period of dictatorship in South Korea under President Park Chung-hee (1917-1979), who had declared martial law and enacted the authoritarian Yushin Constitution in 1972. It marked the beginning of the Fourth Republic of Korea (1972-1981) and is widely regarded as one of the most autocratic legal frameworks in modern Korean history.

The large rally organized by the Unification Church was seen both as a religious event and a demonstration of loyalty to the South Korean government’s anti-communist stance. The event drew attention internationally due to the size of the crowd and the participation of foreign delegates from 60 countries – according to the organizers. The rally certainly helped raise the international profile of the Unification Church and reinforced Rev. Moon’s image as a global anti-communist religious leader.

The Yeouido Plaza event received substantial media coverage, particularly within South Korea.

Statements of encouragement were delivered by representatives of Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and the Korean faiths Cheondo-gyo, Weonbul-gyo, and Daejong-gyo.

Rally statements were read by Neil Albert Salonen from the USA, Osami Kuboki from Japan, Paul Werner from Germany, and Henri Blanchard from France.

The World Rally for Korean Freedom was a landmark moment both for South Korean nationalism during the Cold War and for the Unification Church’s rise as a global religious movement.

Text: Knut Holdhus

See also Anti-Communism Warning 50 Years Ago and Today

Featured image above: Sun Myung Moon speaking 7th June 1975 in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo: FFWPU

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