PARK YONG-KIL the mother of reunification

The Road to the Spring of Reunification
28 September 2011

She is named the "mother of reunification", Park Yong-Il, one of the rare women church elders in the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea  and the protestant churches in Korea. She lived to be 92 years old by October 24 this year. 
She passed away last Saturday and the funeral service was held this morning at the chapel of Hanshin University Graduate School of Theology. She and her husband Moon Ik-Hwan served as inspiration to church people and society, both of the North and South.

The funeral service highlighted her as a road to Springtime, ushering in new ways of relating between the separate states, yet remains one people or nation. Poems by Ko Eun were beautifully read and musical tributes were excellently offered by the women's choir of Seoul Presbytery, a cello musical rendition by Oh Mi-Sun and a soprano Arirang song was sang by Jeong Myeong-Hwa. 

Spoken tributes were given by church leaders, but all ears caught attention when Moon Dong-Hwan spoke. He is a retired minister and brother-in-law of the deceased. Although there are many outstanding characteristics Park Yong-Kil have as a woman, a church  leader, mother and wife, most of the spoken tributes mentioned her in relation to her husband Moon Ik-Hwan. The former South Korean Prime Minister, Han Myeong-Sook also gave a tribute.

A video clip on the latest interview with Park Yong-Il was shown and a slide presentation of their visit to North Korea and the meetings of two former SK presidents with NK's leader Kim Jong-il. A letter of condolences from NK leader was read during the service.

The main hall of chapel was filled with not less than 200 persons. An
outstanding  woman of faith has passed away. The future of peace and reunification of the Korean people is the hands of the present generation.