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“This year is the 40th anniversary of Tozanso Process, which was initiated in 1984, an emblematic occasion to reflect on the past and the future of the ecumenical efforts for peace on the Korean Peninsula, particularly the role of EFK,” said Peter Prove, director of the Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches.
Recently, there have been profound shifts in DPRK’s foreign policy, with reunification between North and South Korea no longer a key objective of that policy. “This has important implications for EFK’s work and structure going forward” observed Prove.
Nevertheless, participants stressed the importance of continuing efforts to re-engage with our key partners in North Korea – the Korean Christian Federation (KCF). As Erich Weingartner, former WCC staff member and one of the pioneers of the Tozanso process remarked, “We may have to bury the Tozanso dream [of reunification], but we cannot give up on the relationships we have nurtured during last 40 years.”
Participants of the meeting agreed that centenary events of the National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) in Seoul from 20-22 September 2024 are an important occasion around which to gather for further reflection and planning, and that the next informal meeting of EFK members could be organized immediately following the NCCK centenary events.
