Migration Old and New: Accepting Diversity in Creating a
Catholic Community in Youngnak Presbyterian Church
Chung Yoube Ha
A Thesis Presented to the University of Edinburgh
For the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
May 2009
DECLARATION
This dissertation is in fulfillment of the requirements established by the
University of Edinburgh, for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, in the
School of Divinity. I declare that this thesis is my own composition and
constitutes the results of my own research.
Chung Yoube Ha
15 May 2009
DEDICATED
to
My beloved mentor, Rev. Chul-shin Lee, D.D., and
his most gracious Youngnak Church
for their support and encouragement
and above all
for their love.
Acknowledgements
Most of all, I am grateful to my Father in heaven who is always with me, helping
and inspiring me to accomplish this thesis with his wisdom, love, and grace.
I came to have an interest in the topic of the identity of North Korean refugees
through Revd. Chul-shin Lee, D.D. at Youngnak Presbyterian Church in 1998, where I
began working with the North Korean refugees. He strongly advised me to choose this
topic when I left Korea for the United Kingdom to study, and he encouraged me
spiritually while I was studying in the United Kingdom. Whether I was in sunshine or
under a cloud, my beloved mentor, Revd. Lee was with me, consoling and
encouraging me. Therefore, I am glad to dedicate my thesis to him and Youngnak
Presbyterian Church.
In particular, I want to reveal that my thesis is absolutely indebted to my ‘always
good’ supporter, Mr. Kim Young Dae, who not only financially, but also spiritually,
helped and encouraged me, with particular thanks to their scholarships which he
funded over six years and seven months to undertake this thesis. I want to extend my
thanks to my supporters, Mrs. Song Yen Ho in Kwangjang Church and Mrs. Baek
Kuem Ok and all members of Dung Dae Hea in Youngnak Presbyterian Church for
their financial help and prayers.
I am grateful to Dr. Elizabeth Koepping, who supervised me with the boundless
hospitality and her warm care and concern. Now I want to express my sincere respect
and deep thanks to her. She has been always so good to me. Her scintillating
comments and warm and kind care were impressive. Sometime she would approach
me with a motherly love, sometimes as a good friend, sometimes as a good teacher,
and sometimes as a wonderful adviser. I believe that without her help and care this
thesis would not have been completed. I confess that her academic and personal
qualities in supervision were ‘always more’ and ‘couldn’t be better’.
I cannot forget the priceless treasure of Mayfield Salisbury Church and the
support of Revd. Scott; Roger, my proofreader; Marjory, Rosemary, Colin and Morag,
who were fellow members of my house group at that church, and their continuous
prayer and encouragement. I was not lonely and my heart was relieved under their
warm friendly love and prayer.
Above all, I want to thank my wife, Young Mi, for everything. She shared
everything with me during the hard times. She patiently took care of our children with
love and great concern. I am grateful to my children Joo Hoon, Ye Hoon and Soo
Kyoung, who are my joy and happiness. I am greatly thankful to my parents, now
passed away, and my brothers and sisters, for their sincere prayer and encouragement.
Table of Contents
Declaration 1
Dedication 2
Acknowledgements 3
Table of Contents 5
Abstract 11
Abbreviations 12
Tables and Diagrams 13
Introduction 14
1. Description of the Study 14
2. Migrants Old and New 16
3. Crucial Definitions 21
3.1. Power 21
3.2. Ethnic Identity 22
4. Limitations 23
5. Necessity of Research 24
6. Methodology 27
7. Theoretical Frames and Approach 33
8. Structure and Sources of the Study 35
8.1. Structure of the Study 35
8.2. Sources 37
Part One
The Emergence and Evolution of the Contrasting Ideologies
in Relation to the Formation of Ethnic Identity of Migrants
Old and New
Introduction 39
1. Theoretical Frame 39
Chapter The Emergence and Development of Anti-Communist
Ideology and its Effect on the Formation of Ethnic Identity of
Christian Wolnammin
Introduction 43
The Emergence of an Anti-Communist Standpoint (1874-1945) 43
1. The Early Missionaries’ Two Theological Tendencies 44
2. The Significant Growth of Christianity 48
2.1. Various Factors Related to the Growth of Northwestern Conservative
Christianity 48
2.2. The Beginning and Result of the Significant Growth of Northwestern
Conservative Christianity 51
3. Two Perspectives toward the Attitude of Missionaries 54
4. Various Reasons for the Emergence of the Anti-Missionary Movement 56
The Migration of Northern Christians into South Korea 59
1. The Establishing of Youngnak Presbyterian Church 60
2. Reorganization and Assimilation 62
The Formation of Characteristics of Anti-Communist Ideology 63
1. The Post-Liberation Period 64
2. During the Korean War 69
3. The Post-Korean War Period 71
3.1. The National Evangelical Campaign 72
3.2. Anti-Communist Education 78
Conclusion 85
Chapter The Emergence and Development of the Juche Ideology
and its Impact on the Life of the North Koreans
Introduction 87
1. The definition of Juche 87
2. The Emergence of Juche in the Korean Peninsula 90
3. The Emergence of Socio-Political Juche in North Korea 93
3.1. The Official Emergence of Juche 96
4. The Development of Juche Ideology 98
4.1. Juche Ideology of Kim Jong-il 99
4.2. Ideological Remoulding 102
5. Juche Ideology and Christianity 105
5.1. Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il’s Encounter with Christianity 107
5.2. Similarities Between Juche Ideology and Christianity 109
6. Influence of Juche on the North Korean Life 115
6.1. The Power of Juche Ideology 119
Conclusion 120
Conclusion to Part One 122
Part Two
The Explanation of Ethnic Identity among Old and New
Migrants
Introduction 125
1. Ethnic Identity 127
1.1. Perspectives on Ethnic Identity 127
1.2. Two Contrasting Perspectives in Korea Regarding Ethnicity 129
2. Theoretical Frame 134
Chapter Christian Saeteomin Identity Expressed in Material,
Verbal and Behavioural Symbols
Introduction 137
1. Material Symbols 138
1.1. Clothing 139
1.2. Flowers 141
1.3. Colours 144
2. Verbal Symbols 145
2.1. 'I Can Do It' (Naneun Hal Su Issda) 145
2.2. Attitude Toward Foreign Words and Variants 147
2.3. Intonation and Accent 150
2.4. Relational Designations 151
2.5. Words Used Exclusively to Refer to the Leader 153
2.6. Address 155
2.7. Words Expressing Tenderness and Affection 157
2.9. Expressing Body Weight 158
3. Behavioural Symbols 159
3.1. Smiling, Praise and Greetings 159
3.2. Marital Roles 160
3.3. Cooking 162
3.4. Making Promises 164
3.5. Acting Simply and Expression Style 164
Conclusion 169
Chapter The Explanation of Wolnammin’s Different Ethnic
Identity in Interaction with Saeteomin
Introduction 172
1. Material Symbols 176
1.1. Preferred clothing 176
1.2. Wine and Tobacco 177
2. Verbal Symbols 178
2.1. Jaju (Independence) 178
2.2. Dongmu (Friend) 179
2.3. Migun Cheolsu (Withdraw of the United States Army) 179
2.4. Hancha (Chinese Characters) 180
3. Behavioural Patterns 181
3.1. The Nuclear Family and Individualism 181
3.2. The Conflict of the CW and the CS 183
3.3. The Firm Faith System 186
3.4. Forming Personal Relationships 189
3.5. Reproduction of Distrust 190
3.6. Choices 192
3.7. Self-Sufficiency 194
3.8. Different Tradition 196
Conclusion 198
Conclusion to Part Two: Rejection and Exclusion 199
Part Three
A Construction of a Catholic Community in Youngnak
Presbyterian Church
Introduction 206
1. Toward a Catholic Community in Diversity 208
2. The Principle of Analogy and Otherness and Their Implication 210
3. A Concept of Tong-i 215
4. Approach 218
Chapter Attitude and Missiological Position Towards Religious
Juche Ideology
Introduction 221
The Fulfilment Theology of the 1910 World Missionary Conference 223
1. Background of Edinburgh 1910 223
2. Missionary Attitude towards Other Religions and to Christ 225
Responses to the Commision IV of Edinburgh 1910 and and its Critics
1. Radical Discontinuity 229
2. Anonymous Christianity 230
3. Faith and Beliefs 233
Fulfilment Theology and the Text Book of BSCFP 236
1. The Missionary Attitude of the NSTCL toward Juche Ideology 236
2. Stepping Stones Emerging from Juche Ideology Towards Christ 237
Conclusion 243
Chapter Embracing the Other and Its Application in the Context
of the Korean Peninsula and Youngnak Presbyterian Church
Introduction 245
Embrace in Miroslav Volf’s Work 247
1. Definition of Embrace 247
2. A Summary of Embrace According to Volf 248
3. Evaluation of Volf’s Stance 253
The Embrace Policy of Lim Dong-won 259
1. Brief Background 260
2. The Definition of Embrace Policy 262
3. A Summary of Lim’s Embrace Policy 263
4. A Biblical Perspective of Lim’s Sunshine Policy 267
5. Evaluation of Lim’s Policy 269
Embrace in Youngnak Presbyterian Church 272
1. The Response of Youngnak Presbyterian Church to the Embrace Policy 276
2. Repentance and Forgiveness of Youngnak Presbyterian Church 276
3. Embrace Cases in Youngnak Presbyterian Church 279
Conclusion 287
Conclusion to Part Three 290
Conclusion 293
Bibliography 304
Abstract
This thesis examines the attempts of the Christian Wolnammin and Christian
Saeteomin to construct a catholic community within Younghak Presbyterian Church, Seoul. Both groups come from the same region in the Northern territory, yet have different identities based on the fact that their exodus to South Korea took place during different periods of the last half century.
Both before and since their arrival in South Korea around 60 years ago, Christian
Wolnammin were socialized in the context of a deep-rooted anti-Communist ideology.
In sharp contrast, recent Christian Saeteomin were socialized by Juche (self-reliance) ideology (the official government ideology of North Korea) prior to leaving North Korea in the last decade. The contrasting ideologies cause tension and even hostility between the groups in Youngnak Presbyterian Church, posing significant difficulties for creating a space for mutual fellowship and respect.
Members of the two groups did not perceive the extent of differences between them until they met each other in the church.
Prior to coming together, both
communities desired unification, including the sharing of what they assumed was an ethnically homogeneous identity. The serious misinterpretation of symbols and
behaviour patterns caused disappointment and tension. Consequently, examples of
exclusion began to emerge in Youngnak Presbyterian Church, with at least some
Christian Saeteomin wanting to return home.
The present study is a response to their difficulties. It locates, describes and
analyses the conflicts, reflects on the place of ideology in Christian practice evident in Youngnak Presbyterian Church, and outlines a route towards a practical and prophetic resolution based on the theological concept of reconciliation and embrace.
Abbreviations
BSCFP Bible Study Class for Free People
CS Christian Saeteomin
CW Christian Wolnammin
DPRK Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
FLPH Foreign Languages Publishing House
NCCK The National Council of Churches in Korea
NSTCL New Starting: Toward the Changing Life
PCTS Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary
