This week, U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean Chairman Kim Jong Un met for a historic summit in Singapore to discuss peace and the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. This meeting was unimaginable just a few months ago. On Tuesday, these two leaders shook hands and issued a joint statement, committing to deepening relations and agreeing to “build a lasting and robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.”
This meeting is an important first step, yet media coverage and responses by members of Congress to this event have been mostly negative. The criticism that the outcome statement lacked specificity, verification, timelines, and definitions of denuclearization is valid. And yet, to only see the limitations of this historic moment is to miss the overwhelming opportunity it presents for peace to a Korean people who have endured conflict and separation for nearly 70 years.
The United Church of Christ has worked and prayed for peace alongside our Korean Global Ministries partners for decades, waiting for an opportunity such as this. Much has yet to be defined, but now is an important moment to express hope for a peace process in Korea.
Leaders from the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) issued a statement in support of the Singapore Summit and its aspirations, acknowledging it as a first step in a long process. This support aligns with past General Synod statements, including a 2015 resolution which recommitted the UCC to continue its work for peace, justice, and reunification in Korea.
As a Just Peace church, we are called to engage in the long-term work of peace building and diplomacy, patiently working like a hammer fashioning a plow from a sword (Isaiah 2:4). Congress needs to hear voices of support for peace right now. Contact your Senator to express your support for the peace process.