Mulmangcho represents conscience in action for victims of history.
Korean modern history has been especially harsh. The pain of losing a country and the trauma of war still sit deep in our hearts. Sakhalin Koreans, Koreiskis wandering the Middle East, comfort women, victims of the nuclear explosion, Class B and C war criminals, subjects of Unit 731, Prisoners of War (POW) in Siberia, Korean POWs, wartime and post-war abductees, and North Korean defectors who wandered in the streets of China and Southeast Asia have all experienced innumerable hardships…
The Republic of Korea has greatly evolved from a chaotic nation on a pile of gunpowder that lost its sovereignty into one of the ten largest economies in the world. As a result, South Korea has become one of the first recipient-turned-donor countries in the world, and the global community is now looking to learn from our miraculous transformation.
However, at this time, we are neglecting the victims and those marginalized by our harsh modern history. As we point fingers at Japan, the people of Korea are gradually forgetting the victims of our painful history. But we must remember; a nation holds unlimited responsibility for its people’s lives and safety.
As we continue to forget about these victims, our nation becomes more divided. We fail to acknowledge and honor those who have sacrificed for the peace and prosperity with which we are gifted today.
From now on, we will lead the efforts in helping the brave victims of our history.
To begin with, we want to lend our hands to North Korean defectors and the courageous and elderly POWs who have returned to their homes. This is a small step.
Then, we will build an alternative school for North Korean students, thereby providing opportunities for these students to experience and learn from opportunities overseas. Moreover, we will provide elderly care facilities for the POWs. Simultaneously, we will pursue research programs to better help those in need and carry out various programs to help to the victims of our history.
Finally, we will strive to establish freedom and democracy for other countries.
‘Conscience in action’ for the courageous heroes of our history is what Mulmangcho stands for.