Korean and US Clergy Walk 250km Along DMZ for World Peace

A group of over 20 pastors from South Korea and the United States has embarked on a 250-kilometer peace walk along the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The pilgrimage, which began on June 17 and will conclude on June 25, traverses the path from Cheorwon in Gangwon Province to the Goseong Unification Observatory.

The pastors are undertaking this journey to pray for peace on the Korean Peninsula and to call for an end to the ongoing wars in Iran and Ukraine. The event is organized by the Borderline Peace School in Cheorwon. Participants will walk approximately 25 kilometers daily, engaging in various programs in the evenings, including dialogues with North Korean defectors and residents of border areas.

This initiative is part of the KAPA (Korea America Peace Again) movement. The movement aims to address what it perceives as the increasing political alignment of some churches in South Korea and the U.S. with far-right ideologies and support for war. KAPA seeks to reorient these churches towards the teachings of Jesus Christ, emphasizing peace and reconciliation. The walk includes prayer services and peace-themed discussions, culminating in a final service for peace on the Korean Peninsula and the world.

Baek Yong-seok, a pastor from Gangnam Church in Seoul and the leader of the peace pilgrimage, expressed his hopes for the movement. "I hope that as Korean and American pastors walk together along the DMZ peace road and pray, a movement will arise for Korea and America to become peaceful countries again," he stated.

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I hope that as Korean and American pastors walk together along the DMZ peace road and pray, a movement will arise for Korea and America to become peaceful countries again.