Abstract
In the post-colonial time, TongIl is one of the most significant tasks and is heavily discussed as a part of communal practice in the Korean churches. TongIl is the final eschatological-ecclesial goal which constitutes the harmony of communities, helping Korean people participate in the reign of God. In contrast to the theoretical and ideological discourse mentioned above, the goal of unification, whilst widely recognized in Korean theology, poses a practical problem; namely the logistics around how to achieve this eschatological goal for all. According to my own pastoral experiences of North Korean refugees and their faith formation programs, the treatment of North Koreans in the South is largely ignored. Individuals born in NK who have since settled in South Korea as refugees from the 1980s have, for the most part, faced difficulties integrating into the South Korean society. Although North Korean refugees are a symbol signaling the much anticipated arrival of TongIl, there are various reasons the marginalization occurs even today. Using Refugees’ narratives, I contend that educational examination in religious communities must attend to the marginalized experiences that inhibit the cultural and political integration of North Korean refugee women in South Korea. I demonstrate that in order for the Korean TongIl effort to be effective, development of an interdependent and harmonious TongIl pedagogy combining critical Christian religious principles and postcolonial feminist liberation philosophy can expose the limitations within the established concept of TongIl as a theological discourse centered around the absorption of North Korea by South Korea.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2025 Special Focus—Fragile Meanings: Vulnerability in the Study of Religions and Spirituality
KEYWORDS
Korean Unification in Religion, Marginalized People in Korean Religion
