A Story of Reconciliation in A Divided Korea

Beyond politics: A story of human connections, grassroots reconciliation, and rebuilding trust where ideology divides

On 23^rd March 2026, a column published in the Korean newspaper Segye Ilbo by religious affairs reporter Jeong Seong-su (정성수) reflected on a pressing issue: the deepening division on the Korean Peninsula and what it means for the future of peace. Rather than focusing solely on high-level politics, the article draws attention to the human dimension of division – how ideological conflict affects everyday lives – and highlights the work of one individual, Koo Mal-mo (구말모 – 1935-2022), as a powerful example of reconciliation in action.

See also Mother Han Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2026

See also A 2026 Nobel Nomination and Democratic Maturity

See also Scholar’s Journey: She Gave Up Academia for Faith

See also Federation Expands Community Service Efforts

See also The Gospel of Service in One Woman’s Life

To understand the significance of the article, it is important to grasp the current context. Relations between North Korea and South Korea have deteriorated sharply. North Korea has recently described the two Koreas not as parts of a single nation moving toward reunification, but as two separate and hostile states. This marks a major shift away from decades of rhetoric that at least nominally supported peaceful reunification. Physical symbols of connection – such as railways and roads that once linked the two sides – have been cut or destroyed. The border between North and South, already heavily fortified, is increasingly seen not just as a line of division, but as an almost permanent barrier.

In such a situation, the article argues, it becomes crucial to focus on people rather than governments. When official dialogue stops, the risk is that human connections will also disappear. And when both political and personal ties are severed, the possibility of peace diminishes even further. Peace, the author suggests, does not begin in conference rooms alone – it also depends on relationships between ordinary individuals.

This human cost of division is especially visible in the Korean diaspora in Japan. After World War II, many Koreans remained in Japan, forming communities that were later split along ideological lines. Two major organizations emerged: one aligned with South Korea and another with North Korea. Although their members often shared common origins – sometimes even coming from the same hometowns – they became estranged over time. For decades, these groups lived parallel lives, rarely interacting. Social events, cultural celebrations, and even funerals were held separately. What should have been a shared community was fractured, with division shaping even the most personal aspects of life.

It was into this deeply divided environment that Koo Mal-mo (구말모) emerged as a figure of reconciliation. Born in Japan in 1935, he belonged to a generation that experienced both the legacy of Japanese colonial rule over Korea and the painful reality of national division. He pursued higher education in political science, studying at Waseda University in Japan and later at Yonsei University in South Korea. However, his life did not follow a straightforward academic path.

A defining moment came in 1971, during a period of authoritarian rule in South Korea. While studying at Yonsei University, Koo was accused of espionage and sentenced to 15 years in prison, of which he served 10. This experience could easily have led to bitterness or resentment. Instead, it became a period of deep reflection. While in prison, he confronted the larger tragedy of Korea’s division and asked fundamental questions about why the nation had been split and whether reconciliation was possible.

After his release in 1981, Koo returned to Japan. The divisions within the Korean community there were still as strong as ever. Rather than attempting quick or dramatic solutions, he took a patient and long-term approach. Over several decades, he traveled extensively, meeting people from both sides of the ideological divide. He listened to their stories, their grievances, and their fears. Through roles connected to the South Korean embassy and advisory bodies on unification, he gradually built trust.

By the time he reached his late sixties, Koo had become a central figure capable of bringing people together. His approach was based on a key insight: ideological arguments alone could not resolve deeply rooted divisions. Debates about political systems or national legitimacy often reinforced existing positions rather than bridging gaps. What was needed instead was the restoration of relationships at a personal level.

In 2004, this philosophy took institutional form with the creation of an organization aimed at fostering unity within the Korean diaspora in Japan. Its goal was not immediate political unification, but something more basic and arguably more important: rebuilding trust between people who had long seen each other as enemies. Koo became its first leader.

His efforts were not without opposition. Some critics argued that engagement with the other side was naive or even dangerous. Nevertheless, he persisted, emphasizing that reconciliation must begin with direct human contact. He encouraged members of opposing groups to meet face-to-face, visit one another’s homes, and openly address their long-held grievances. This focus on emotional and relational healing was central to his work.

A major milestone came later that same year, when 1,200 Korean residents from Japan – representing both sides of the divide – traveled together to South Korea for a peace event – a “Peaceful Unification Rally” that took place in Seoul. According to Jeong’s article, this initiative was made possible in large part by the committed support of the Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP) [See editor’s note 1 below].

For many participants, this was the first time they had interacted closely with those they had previously regarded as adversaries. They shared transportation, meals, and conversations. These simple acts carried profound meaning. People who had spent decades separated by ideology found themselves sitting side by side, often moved to tears.

The article presents this moment as something close to extraordinary – not because of any formal agreement, but because it demonstrated the power of human connection. It showed that trust could be rebuilt from the ground up, even after long periods of hostility. Importantly, it suggested that such grassroots efforts might succeed where official diplomacy struggles.

Our True Mother has dedicated her entire life to realizing a world of peace, yet she said,

Another key aspect of Koo’s work was its philosophical and religious dimension. The Segye Ilbo column explains,

“Among the ideological resources that shaped him were the ‘True Love Movement’ (참사랑 운동) [See editor’s note 2 below] and the ‘vision of world peace’ advocated by Sun Myung Moon (문선명) and Hak Ja Han (한학자), co-founders of the Peaceful Unification Alliance. Their transreligious teaching – to embrace even one’s enemies as one’s own body – and the philosophy of ‘living for the sake of others’ became the most powerful founding spirit sustaining the organization.”

According to the article, this perspective provided a crucial foundation for Koo’s efforts. Where political logic tends to divide people into opposing camps, the concept of “true love” seeks to transcend such divisions. It encourages individuals to see one another not as representatives of conflicting systems, but as fellow human beings. In this sense, it functioned as both a bridge and a source of motivation.

The column concludes by returning to the present situation on the Korean Peninsula. With official relations at a low point and dialogue largely suspended, the lessons from Koo Mal-mo’s work become even more relevant. His example suggests that peace is not something that can be achieved solely through grand political strategies. Instead, it often begins with small, everyday actions – sharing a meal, listening to another person’s story, and acknowledging their pain.

In a time of increasing polarization, the article offers a reminder that reconciliation is both possible and necessary. By focusing on relationships rather than ideology, and by prioritizing empathy over division, individuals and communities can play a meaningful role in building a more peaceful future.

See also Mother Han Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize 2026

See also A 2026 Nobel Nomination and Democratic Maturity

See also Scholar’s Journey: She Gave Up Academia for Faith

See also Federation Expands Community Service Efforts

See also The Gospel of Service in One Woman’s Life

Text: Knut Holdhus, editor

Featured image above: From the border between North and South Korea on 28th September 2012. Photo: pictures Jettcom. License: CC Attr 3.0 Unp

[Editor’s note 1: The Interreligious and International Federation for World Peace (IIFWP) was inaugurated on 6^th February 1999 in Seoul by Sun Myung Moon (문선명) to bring together religious leaders and public figures from different faiths and nations to cooperate on peacebuilding and global dialogue. Its work was later reorganized and relaunched as the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), which was launched on 12^th September 2005 in New York with Sun Myung Moon (문선명) and Hak Ja Han (한학자) as founders. This was essentially a restructuring or rebranding that grew out of the IIFWP framework into a broader global network with a more formal institutional structure.]

[Editor’s note 2:  The “True Love Movement” (참사랑 운동) is not a single formal organization. Rather, it is a core theological and ethical concept associated with the teachings of Sun Myung Moon – also called Father Moon – and Hak Ja Han – also known as Mother Han.

The term “True Love Movement” refers to a moral and spiritual framework rather than a tightly defined institution. It emerges from Father Moon’s and Mother Han’s teaching that “true love” is selfless, God-centered love, not self-centered desire. It is fundamentally about living for the sake of others, and it applies at every level: individual → family → society → world.

In this sense, the “movement” is more like a normative ideal or campaign for ethical transformation than a membership-based movement with a single structure.

At the heart of this idea is a very specific definition of love: Self-centered love is seen as the root of human conflict and “the Fall” (in Unificationism). True love is defined as giving first, without expecting return. It mirrors what is understood as God’s nature – initiating love toward others.

A distinctive feature is that “true love” is not abstract. It is supposed to be realized concretely in the family, with an ideal progression: child → sibling → spouse → parent. The family is seen as the training ground for universal love. From “true families”, the model expands outward to society and the world. The Unification Principles and related teachings emphasize that the family is the basic unit of peacebuilding, not the state.

The “True Love Movement” refers to a broader effort to apply this philosophy to real-world conflicts (including the Korean division). It’s called a “movement” because it has been promoted globally through interreligious initiatives, peace organizations like the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) and the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), marriage and family programs, educational and cultural campaigns.

The idea is that societal transformation begins with moral transformation, especially through relationships.]

Related to a story of reconciliation: At Issue: Religions Taking Reality Seriously

Also related to a story of reconciliation: Religion Between Engagement and Withdrawal

Also related to a story of reconciliation: State Failure and Non-State Peace Projects

And also related to a story of reconciliation: Unificationism Emerging as a World Religion

More, related to a story of reconciliation: Decline of Family Values Creates Social Crisis

Also related to a story of reconciliation: Essence of God

More, related to a story of reconciliation: God and Human Beings

Also related to a story of reconciliation: The Kingdom of Heaven

And also related to example of two unificationists: True Love

More, related to a story of reconciliation: The Value of the Family

And more, related to a story of reconciliation: God’s ideal

Still more, related to a story of reconciliation: God’s Sorrow

Yet more, related to a story of reconciliation: Suffering of God

And yet more, related to a story of reconciliation: Family values

Also related to a story of reconciliation: Meaningful Marriage

More, related to a story of reconciliation: Living for Others

More, related to a story of reconciliation: Family as School of Love

More, related to a story of reconciliation: Parents and Children

More, related to a story of reconciliation: Teachings Make Great Strides in New Version

And more, related to a story of reconciliation: In a Nutshell

Yet more, related to a story of reconciliation: Brief about the Teachings

Still more, related to a story of reconciliation: Relationships

Even more, related to a story of reconciliation: Gender-Balanced Understanding of God and Christ

And yet more, related to a story of reconciliation: God as Our Heavenly Parent (Father and Mother)

And still more, related to a story of reconciliation: History of God: From Yahweh to Father to Parent

And even more, related to a story of reconciliation: Religious Truth as Progressive Revelation

Also related to a story of reconciliation: Essential Motherly Part of Messianic Mission

Also related to a story of reconciliation: The 3 Blessings and the Process to Fulfil Them

Also related to a story of reconciliation: Unification Principles