Lessons From Korea

I was in Korea these last few days to attend a policy forum on Northeast Asia. Focus was on the “reunification” of a divided Korea: north and south. War divided them years ago. We can learn lessons from them.

DMZ—About 40 kilometers from Seoul, capital city of south Korea is a “de-militarized zone” or DMZ. A span of more than 240 kilometers divide the two Koreas. Ironically, the DMZ is heavily militarized with the United Nations armistice (ceasefire) troops keeping watch that the soldiers of both sides, staring each other eye-ball to eye-ball, do not start shooting. A divided people is a tragedy.

MISSILES—We were in conference in Seoul when we learned that 2 missiles were launched by volatile North Korea leader, young Kim Jung Un as a protest action to a US-SOUTH KOREA joint military exercises. I talked with ordinary folks in Seoul and they live under continuous fear of war.

PEOPLE TO PEOPLE—I listened to Seoul Mayor Park who said: “while higher levels like central governments have difficulty moving forward, people to people engagement in the local and neighborhood levels is the answer.”

BANGSAMORO—I immediately remembered the problems we are now facing with the bangsamoro peace agreement. Indeed, while waiting for things to be resolved by Imperial Manila, our locals need not be paralyzed into inaction and wait for what central government will decide. NGOs, peoples organizations, civil society and business groups, local governments, religious and educational institutions and even neighbors must now engage for peace. We cannot wait for kingdom come!

We’d like to see this happen today in Mindanao. Shall we?