Life's journey often takes unpredictable turns. The events my family endured during the tumultuous times of our history are still deeply etched in my heart.
I lost my father when I was in first grade, too young to fully comprehend the world. He was abducted to North Korea. From that moment, our family's life changed dramatically. I can still vividly recall my mother, only 28 years old, suddenly left to raise three sons alone. To her, I wasn't just a son; even as an elementary school student, I became her pillar of support, her small anchor in a stormy sea.
The Korean War shook not just our family but countless lives. Caught between the North-South divide and ideological conflicts, ordinary citizens like us faced suspicion and oppression from both sides. When the North Korean forces retreated after oppressing us, the South Korean military would then come in, harassing us with investigations of potential collaboration.
One scene remains indelibly etched in my memory: my mother, clutching me tightly every time she was summoned to the police station. As this young mother, barely out of her college years, faced interrogation at gunpoint, I would cry in fear, and she would weep with me. We were just one of many innocent families caught in the crossfire of ideological strife.
These experiences left profound lessons. I witnessed firsthand the horrors of war and ideological conflict, and the resilience of ordinary people struggling to survive. My mother's hardships and perseverance became my moral compass, giving me strength to endure difficult times.
Our family's story isn't just a personal narrative; it's a microcosm of an era's pain, a condensed version of our nation's struggles. I share these memories in the hope that such tragedies never repeat. Creating a peaceful world where we understand and respect each other is our generation's responsibility and our duty to the next.
These experiences significantly shaped the direction of my life. Having directly experienced the tragedy brought by war and ideological conflict, I gained a deep understanding of the importance of peace and reconciliation. This became one of the primary reasons I later chose to pursue theology.
My mother's strength and sacrifice became my life's example. Her resilience in the face of adversity instilled in me the belief that any hardship could be overcome. This faith later became a driving force in my academic pursuits and my path as a theologian.
The suffering caused by war and ideological conflict made me profoundly aware of human dignity and the preciousness of life. These became core values that I always kept in mind during my theological studies. The belief that all humans are dignified, and that human life and rights should take precedence over any ideology or political stance, became the foundation of my theological research.
Paradoxically, these painful childhood experiences molded me into a stronger, more profound individual. Based on these experiences, I dedicated my life to theological research centered on peace, reconciliation, and human dignity. The hope that our painful history could serve as a foundation for a better future - that was the meaning of the path I've walked.
I lost my father when I was in first grade, too young to fully comprehend the world. He was abducted to North Korea. From that moment, our family's life changed dramatically. I can still vividly recall my mother, only 28 years old, suddenly left to raise three sons alone. To her, I wasn't just a son; even as an elementary school student, I became her pillar of support, her small anchor in a stormy sea.
The Korean War shook not just our family but countless lives. Caught between the North-South divide and ideological conflicts, ordinary citizens like us faced suspicion and oppression from both sides. When the North Korean forces retreated after oppressing us, the South Korean military would then come in, harassing us with investigations of potential collaboration.
One scene remains indelibly etched in my memory: my mother, clutching me tightly every time she was summoned to the police station. As this young mother, barely out of her college years, faced interrogation at gunpoint, I would cry in fear, and she would weep with me. We were just one of many innocent families caught in the crossfire of ideological strife.
These experiences left profound lessons. I witnessed firsthand the horrors of war and ideological conflict, and the resilience of ordinary people struggling to survive. My mother's hardships and perseverance became my moral compass, giving me strength to endure difficult times.
Our family's story isn't just a personal narrative; it's a microcosm of an era's pain, a condensed version of our nation's struggles. I share these memories in the hope that such tragedies never repeat. Creating a peaceful world where we understand and respect each other is our generation's responsibility and our duty to the next.
These experiences significantly shaped the direction of my life. Having directly experienced the tragedy brought by war and ideological conflict, I gained a deep understanding of the importance of peace and reconciliation. This became one of the primary reasons I later chose to pursue theology.
My mother's strength and sacrifice became my life's example. Her resilience in the face of adversity instilled in me the belief that any hardship could be overcome. This faith later became a driving force in my academic pursuits and my path as a theologian.
The suffering caused by war and ideological conflict made me profoundly aware of human dignity and the preciousness of life. These became core values that I always kept in mind during my theological studies. The belief that all humans are dignified, and that human life and rights should take precedence over any ideology or political stance, became the foundation of my theological research.
Paradoxically, these painful childhood experiences molded me into a stronger, more profound individual. Based on these experiences, I dedicated my life to theological research centered on peace, reconciliation, and human dignity. The hope that our painful history could serve as a foundation for a better future - that was the meaning of the path I've walked.
