Sept. 26, 2023

Second day of Washington, D.C., Visit,
Meetings with Experts on North Korean Issues,
and Conversation with Reverend Rich Tafel

Sept. 29, 2023, 18,029 views, 55 comments

Hello! Today is Sunim’s second day in Washington, D.C., where he is meeting people to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. Sunim began his day at 4:45 am with his daily 1,000-Day Practice and meditation at the U.S. Jungto Center. 

After the morning prayer and breakfast, Sunim went for a walk in the nearby Fairland Regional Park. There are several small and large parks near the U.S. Jungto Center. It’s been a while since Sunim last had a leisurely stroll to unwind and stretch his body. 

“Since I am not working on the farm, I don’t get to use my body much.”

It was drizzling and Sunim walked for one-and-a-half hours with an umbrella, chatting along the way. 

Meeting with Jon Brause, Managing Director of the World Food Program (WFP)

After the walk, Sunim departed for Washington, D.C., at 9:20 am to meet with government and non-government experts on Korean Peninsula issues. 

Sunim arrived at the Washington Liaison Office of the UN World Food Program (WFO) and met with Managing Director Jon Brause. 

Mr. Brause has been involved in providing humanitarian aid for North Korea for a long time, starting as a special assistant at the US Agency for International Development (USAID). He has maintained a long-lasting friendship with Sunim. When they met, they greeted each other warmly. 

“How have you been?”

“I’m going to retire soon.”

“North Koreans are facing difficult times. We should provide aid to North Korea while you are still in office.”

After exchanging greetings, they discussed peace on the Korean Peninsula and humanitarian aid for North Korea. Sunim suggested that humanitarian aid could be considered once the tensions on the peninsula subside, emphasizing the necessity of a significant shift in U.S. policy toward North Korea. However, Mr. Brause responded negatively, stating that the U.S. was unlikely to take action soon due to an upcoming presidential election. Sunim sought Mr. Brause’s advice on providing medical supplies, as it might be more feasible than food aid. 

“As you mentioned, it seems that providing food aid is currently not feasible. However, could we consider the possibility of providing medical supplies through the World Health Organization (WHO)?”

“They would take it, but it doesn’t have any impact on the people’s health.”

“While it may have a lesser impact on people’s lives compared to food aid, the suffering caused by illness is still substantial. Simply providing anesthetics and antibiotics can make a huge difference. I’ve heard that in some cases, North Koreans undergo surgery without anesthesia. A significant portion of the products imported from China are medicines.”

“Yes, I agree. I just think we can do both. Because again, you don’t just want to provide enough for the hospitals and cities, you want to be able to improve healthcare. I always think if you go in big and fair, then they say no, it’s their decision. No matter how much it costs, far achieving than a war.”

“I believe that providing medical supplies is more feasible than food aid. Food aid could be considered after medical supplies. Currently, the North Korean government is seeking solutions to issues in their relationship with Russia. Therefore, I believe it would be difficult to obtain their consent for any proposal that isn’t substantial.”

“To me, they are doing gamble for both North Korea and Russia, because if one doesn’t deliver, it’s going to be very interesting.”

“As long as the Ukraine war persists, the likelihood of Russian military technology being transferred to North Korea will continue to increase. The North Korean government wants to receive military technology more than food or oil. I believe that the transfer of Russian military technology to North Korea will have detrimental consequences. To prevent this, the Ukraine war must come to an end or the U.S. should initiate a dialogue with North Korea soon. Please remember the suffering of North Korean people and make efforts to alleviate it. You’ve been involved in this for a long time.”

“I will also try harder in my position. I’m always thinking about North Korea.”

“Thank you.”

It was touching to hear that North Korea is always on his mind despite the dire situation. Sunim then asked him which country is currently facing the most difficult circumstances. 

“Which country is facing the most challenges in terms of food conditions right now? I’m curious to know which country the WFP primarily focuses on.” 

“Everybody. Yemen, Afghanistan … In Afghanistan, 15 million people are suffering. And the food-aid money is the lowest in 10 years. So, Afghanistan, Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia … and Sudan, of course, but you can’t get in there.”

Sunim shared about the aid work that JTS has carried out in areas devastated by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, as well as by floods in Pakistan. He also discussed the challenges JTS faces while working with the repair center for gas stoves supplied to Rohingya refugees and the cyclone victims in Myanmar. Mr. Brause expressed willingness to look into the matter and see if there is anything he can do. Sunim suggested that they make further efforts together to combat hunger, disease, and illiteracy worldwide before completing the conversation. 

After presenting Mr. Brause with a gift of his book translated into English, Sunim left the Washington Liaison Office of the WFP, promising to meet again. The office is located right next to the White House, and Sunim took a photo in front of the White House. 

It would be wonderful if Sunim’s earnest appeals could be directly delivered to the White House, but that is difficult. Therefore, Sunim has to meet with many people and persuade them to convey his messages to the White House. However, Sunim had a smiling face and walked with energetic footsteps. 

Sunim walked past the White House and arrived at the Korean American Grassroots Conference (KAGC). Mr. Kim Dongsuk, the president of the KAGC, greeted him warmly. 

In consideration of Sunim’s busy meeting schedule, Mr. Kim prepared lunch for him. As they conversed over lunch, Mr. Kim shared information about the KAGC’s past and current initiatives and sought Sunim’s interest and support. 

“This year marks the 30th year since I started the Korean American grassroots movement. I began this in 1992 after the Los Angeles riots.”

“It has been 25 years since I first came to the U.S. to prevent North Koreans from starving to death. Initially, I thought three years would be enough to solve the problem, but after 25 years, it still hasn’t been resolved.”

“I was greatly motivated by the influence that the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) has on the U.S. legislature and government for pro-Jewish and Israeli policies. We’ve organized Korean communities in areas with a Korean-American presence and assist them in communicating with their representatives. We are setting agendas and working toward their enactment.”

“You are doing wonderful work. My primary interest lies in averting the threat North Korea poses to us and alleviating the suffering of North Koreans. Kim Jong-eun isn’t the only person living in North Korea; we must remember the 25 million citizens. We have to think how we can alleviate their suffering, and this issue can be resolved only through diplomatic approaches. In this sense, I believe the Korean American grassroots movement can play an important role.” 

It was an opportunity to learn about the Korean American grassroots movement in detail. 

Before leaving the office, Sunim promised to have more frequent exchanges and took a photo with Mr. Kim. 

Meeting with Dr. John Merrill

Sunim headed to Fairfax, located to the west of Washington, D.C., by car. On his arrival, Dr. John Merrill warmly greeted Sunim. Dr. Merrill has limited mobility and shook hands with Sunim from his chair. 

Dr. Merrill served as the chief of the Northeast Asia Division in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR) and has written numerous articles as a researcher at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies since his retirement. He has maintained a long-time friendship with Sunim, and they had a conversation about how to ease the current tensions on the Korean Peninsula from various perspectives. 

“A very dangerous situation is developing as North Korea forms a close military cooperation with Russia. Do you believe the U.S. will continue to disregard North Korea’s military technology development as they are currently doing? What do you think?”

“There is nothing the US can do.”

“Shouldn’t the U.S. have a plan to address this situation, whether it involves taking military action or engaging in negotiations with North Korea? 

“No, there is nothing we can do.”

“Why?”

“We have an old song in English. It’s called “It’s all over now”. It’s all over now. The game is over. You know, we all tried, but we all failed. There is nothing I can do. It’s South Korea’s tragic fate.”

Throughout the lengthy conversation, Dr. Merrill maintained his negative perspective. After carefully listening to his words, Sunim emphasized once more; 

“I will ensure that our efforts succeed, and in doing so, I will make all of you successful!”

“I’m not going to become successful. All I can do is write for the Korea Times.”

“I must resolve this issue because I’m living there, and there should never be a war there.”

We were touched by Sunim, who continued to express hope with a smile to Dr. Merrill, even as he insisted that there was no solution in sight. Sunim wished Dr. Merrill good health before saying goodbye. 

Conversation with Reverend Richard Tafel

In the evening, a live-streamed dialogue with Reverend Rich Tafel was scheduled at Church of the Holy City, located near the White House. When Sunim arrived at the church at 5 pm, Rev. Tafel warmly greeted him. 

Annabel Park, today’s dialogue moderator, also warmly greeted Sunim. Rev. Tafel and Sunim got to know each other through Annabel Park. Rev. Tafel has been involved in activities not only related to the peace movement but also in leading policy changes to make society more peaceful. He has had a close relationship with Sunim since 2017 due to their shared values. 

After having a conversation with Rev. Tafel and Annabel, Sunim had kimbap prepared by volunteers for dinner and commenced the live-streamed dialogue at 7 pm. 

Annabel Park introduced Sunim and Rev. Tafel. 

“This is really exciting for me because these are two people I really admire and who have helped me personally to find some inner peace. The thing that I find interesting is the Venerable and Reverend Rich Tafel come from very different cultures and religious traditions and of course speak different languages. But I admire them for the same reasons because they try to counsel people to ease their suffering and to live happier, freer lives. And they feel a real responsibility to be public servants as well and really engage in public affairs, and they are strong believers in democracy and human rights. And so I’ve benefited so much from knowing them over many years now.”

As the audience applauded loudly, Sunim and Rev. Tafel took their seats and began the dialogue. Before addressing questions from the audience and online viewers, Annabel posed a question to both of them. 

“I’m going to start with questions. I would start by asking you just to get this out of the way, because I think some of the people here are probably interested in learning about what Buddhism is really about and what Swedenborgianism is about. So maybe if you could just very briefly describe your religious philosophy.”

Sunim explained his perspective on true Buddhism first. 

“We use the term ‘Buddhism,’ but there are as many schools within Buddhism as there are within various religions, making it difficult to provide a single definition of Buddhism. Therefore, I will share my perspective on what Buddhism means to me. In my view, Buddhism is not a religion that focuses on concepts like the afterlife or seeking blessings, where one goes to a good place after death or receives blessings for good deeds. 

‘How can I live without suffering at this moment?’

“Providing a solution to this question is Buddhism. The Buddha taught that our suffering doesn’t arise from someone else tormenting us, rather it arises from our own ignorance. Therefore, we can be free from suffering by removing our ignorance. In Buddhism, awakening signifies the removal of one’s ignorance, and through awakening one attains liberation from suffering. Buddhism isn’t just a theory, a body of knowledge, or a set of beliefs; it is about being fully awake in the here and now. In other words, it is about practice. Buddhism teaches that anyone, regardless of their religion or philosophy, can live a life free from suffering through awakening.   

“When someone asks me a question about their suffering or stress, I engage them in a conversation to alleviate their suffering or stress. If they become awakened while conversing with me, they can be free from suffering; however, without this awakening they can’t be liberated from suffering. My role is to help people realize their own contradictions or ignorance. I engage in conversations with the hope that they too can experience greater freedom and happiness, just as my life has become freer and happier through Buddhism.”

Rev. Tafel then explained his perspective on Christianity.

“So, what do we believe? It’s a little different than a lot of traditional Christianity. It has a lot of similarities with Buddhism. D. T. Suzuki wrote a book called Buddha of the North, because he found in those teachings similarities with Buddhism, in particular the engagement in the world. We believe you have to be engaged in the world, which is probably why both of us are very engaged in politics and business and change and so forth. Spiritual life is not divorced from engagement. Spiritual life means you’re engaged to make the world a better place. We each have a purpose and we’re asked to live that out. So that would be, in a nutshell, our teachings.”

From their answers, we could see that they have a lot in common. As the dialogue progressed, Annabel mentioned that she had a question she needed to ask. 

How should we live in this era of division?

“So the question that I’m dying to ask is this. I admit that I’m consumed by this question. So many people feel stressed right now because the world seems very divided. People often feel alone in the world and the future just seems uncertain. And it’s really hard to get your bearings and figure out how to create a path, how to survive this. So I was hoping that you would have some advice for us.”

Sunim replied,

“Nothing is inherently wrong with this world. You may feel confused because the world has changed and differs from what you knew in the past. If you believe that things are better now than before, you don’t feel confused. However, if you think that things are worse now, confusion may arise. Moreover, it used to be easier to comprehend the changes happening in the world. Nowadays, the world is changing so rapidly that you might feel confused because you don’t fully understand it. Ultimately, the world isn’t inherently chaotic, but you may perceive it as such because you can’t fully grasp it within your current framework of perception. If you discard your current perception and look at the world as it truly is, it won’t appear chaotic. 

“When significant changes occur in the world, as they are happening now, there are inevitably those who benefit from them and those who suffer losses. In such circumstances, we must alleviate the distress of those facing losses. Those who benefit from these changes should share their profits with others, as their profits are not solely a result of their own capabilities. When they recognize this, they will feel compelled to share and participate in sharing. 

“The change that impacts humanity the most among the changes happening now is climate change. Until now, we believed that producing more and consuming more were virtues, with material abundance as the measure of well-being. However, from the perspective of the climate crisis that we now face, such a value system is hazardous. We must reduce the level of consumption we have maintained so far. We have to find ways to be happy with less. The solution can be found in the teachings of humanity’s past teachers. There were people who found happiness in modest living and extended their help to those in need. The Buddha did, and so did Saint Francis. We must take heed of the lives of such people. 

“These days, one’s thinking is increasingly biased due to YouTube’s algorithms, which display only what you want to see and hear. Our inclination to believe that we are right and others are wrong is growing stronger. Instead of assessing who is right and who is wrong, we need to acknowledge our differences. Respecting another person means acknowledging that their beliefs, philosophy, and value system can differ from our own. When conflicts escalate because of unacknowledged differences, they may lead to war. We need to overcome our tendency to view the world solely from our perspective without understanding the other person’s point of view. 

“Above all, actions are needed to reduce the widening wealth gap. Otherwise, even people who have no problems in their daily lives will begin to feel a relative sense of deprivation, leading to a decrease in happiness. The plight we are experiencing is not a punishment nor an end imposed by some absolute being. It is just a change in the world. We should focus on solving the problems that have arisen from this change. To do so, it’s necessary to develop spirituality so that we can find happiness not in material things but in the mental realm.” 

Annabel also asked other questions: Does life have a purpose? And what type of love should we pursue? After her questions, audience members also asked questions. 

Should I remain silent in the increasingly confrontational atmosphere?

“Nowadays, if I am silencing myself, not sharing my opinion, because whenever I share my opinion about politically or socially, they think that you’re the enemy. It used to be, a long time ago, it was the acceptance. I accept who you are. You live your life, I live my life. But nowadays, if I don’t support you or advocate for you, you are my enemy, you are a bad person. So nowadays, I find myself, you have to refrain yourself from sharing your opinion. What can I do? Should I keep silencing myself, not sharing my opinion, and listen to other people, ‘ya, you might be right’, and just walk away? Thank you.”

“If we are indeed living in the world you just described, I think a great opportunity has come our way. This is because the world you spoke of is a world where we can embody the qualities of Jesus.”(laughter)

“Jesus didn’t jump on the bandwagon; he spoke the truth and endured the crucifixion, didn’t he? What are you afraid of? People may criticize you when you express your views, but you won’t be crucified like Jesus. If you’re afraid of criticism, you shouldn’t speak at all. How can you speak of justice when you fear criticism? This is not a problem of the world but of yours.  

“We want the world to go our way. However, the world doesn’t transform by itself. When there’s something we want, we have to exert effort for it. If there’s some loss in the process, we must bear it. Why are we reluctant to pay the price? If we must bear the cost, we should be willing to pay it. If we have to endure criticism, we must accept it. If we have to go to jail, we should willingly go.  

“Act and speak confidently, thinking that, ‘Whatever happens, I’m in a better position than Jesus.’ (laughter) Simply complaining without taking action doesn’t accomplish anything. However, there is no need to irritate others by mindlessly asserting your views. Avoid causing unnecessary conflicts, but don’t be afraid either. I encourage you to take a more proactive approach in handling this. 

“Complaining about problems in the world without taking action is a complacent attitude, much like demanding political change without even voting. I encourage you to take action more confidently to create the world you desire.”

The audience responded with applause to Sunim’s clear and insightful answers. There were also other questions.

• How can I be more loving and caring toward others? On Mondays, I attend a gathering where we discuss various topics over coffee. I would like the rule of our gathering to be respectful conversation on any topic except politics and religion. How should I go about implementing this rule? 
• What actions by the U.S. can enhance peace on the Korean Peninsula? What is your opinion on the concept ‘defense is also a form of war.’ Has it become more challenging to maintain awareness now compared to the past? What is the biggest obstacle to maintaining awareness?
• Due to the pandemic, the world has changed positively in some aspects. It appeared that people reflected on their lives, valued experiences more than consumption, and became more spiritual in the face of the worldwide infectious disease. However, as soon as the pandemic was over, it appears that people have reverted to their previous behaviors. What is your perspective on this? 

The conversation continued for approximately two hours. The YouTube streaming ended as scheduled at 9 pm. Sunim took a photo with the participants and presented his book, which had been translated into English, to Rev. Tafel and Anabel. 

Rev. Tafel asked Sunim to give a blessing. Sunim gave a blessing while clasping the reverend’s hand.

Among the participants, there was a very tall man. Sunim took a photo with him, smiling. 

“You are the tallest person I’ve ever seen.”

Promising to organize this type of gathering again, Sunim left the church. Sunim rode in a car and arrived at the US Jungto Center at 10 pm. 

Tomorrow, Sunim will give a Dharma talk for the participants of the live Dharma meeting in the morning, followed by a meeting with Korean media correspondents in Washington, D.C. In the afternoon, he will meet with Julie Turner, the Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights Issues, at the State Department to discuss peace on the Korean Peninsula and human rights issues in North Korea.