May 25, 2012

Byun Chang-bae knows a persuasive message can change minds. In 1980, Byun, a Buddhist student of philosophy, encountered young South Korean Christians calling for a return to democracy following the assassination of the dictator, Park Chung-hee.

"I had been working for the very government these Christian students were criticizing," Byun recalls. "At first I argued with them. Then I began to see that they were right to be demanding democracy."

Byun joined the Christian student group, working with them for eight years to spread the call for democracy via banners, posters, newsletters and statements, all produced clandestinely as the government controlled the media and had clamped down on dissent. During that time, he converted to Christianity and joined the ecumenical youth movement of Presbyterian Church of Korea, a member church of the World Communion of Reformed Churches.

"It seemed impossible that such a small protest movement could make a difference," Byun says. "But in 1987, democracy began when there were free elections."

However, as student protestors in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East are learning today, Byun soon saw that democracy and change do not come quickly in the wake of the overthrow of a repressive regime. Disappointed by election results which saw Roh Tae-Woo, a close associate of the deposed Korean dictator Chun Doo-Hwan, come to power, Byun resigned as an ecumenical youth leader.

Byun went on to be ordained into the Presbyterian church. Today, the son of refugees from North Korea finds hope for the Korean peninsula in the peace initiatives of the ecumenical church movement. He cites the example of discussions currently underway between the National Council of Churches of Korea and the governments of North and South about a proposal to sign a peace treaty in 2013, the 60th anniversary of the ceasefire agreement that marked the end of the Korean War.

Byun told his story during a consultation about models of effective communication for churches that is underway this week in Busan, South Korea. Communication specialists and staff from the World Communion of Reformed Churches, World Council of Churches, World Association for Christian Communication and Korean Christian journalists have gathered to draft a statement encouraging churches to use contemporary media approaches to advocate for peace, justice and protection of the environment.

The statement will be proposed for discussion at the assembly of the World Council of Churches to be held in Busan from 30 October to 8 November 2013. Byun is serving as a resource person to the consultation initiated by the Korean Local Committee for the WCC assembly.

WCRC represents 80 million Christians in 108 countries. Its member churches are active worldwide in initiatives supporting economic, climate and gender justice, mission, and cooperation among Christians of different traditions.

World Communion of Reformed Churches