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Rev. Sun Myung Moon

As a Peace-loving Global Citizen is the autobiography of Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Movement. It was published in 2009 in both Korean and English by Gimm-Young Publishers of Seoul, South Korea. The book was released in South Korea on March 9, 2009 and debuted at #3 on the Businesss bestseller's list. It has ranked in various bestseller lists since then and was ranked 15th on the General bestseller's list as of October 14, 2009.

A Definite Compass for My Life

       When I was about seven or eight years old, Great-Uncle Yun Guk was staying in our home for a short time and some members of the Korean independence army came to see him. They were low on funds and had traveled by night on foot through a heavy snowfall to reach our house. My father covered the heads of us children with a sleeping quilt so that we would not be awakened. I was already wide awake, and I lay there under the quilt, my eyes wide open, listening as best I could to the sounds of the adults talking. Though it was late, my mother killed a chicken and boiled some noodles to serve to the independence fighters.

       To this day, I cannot forget the words that I heard Great-Uncle Yun Guk speak as I lay there under the quilt, holding my breath in excitement. “Even if you die,” he said, “if you die for the sake of our country, you will be blessed.” He continued, “Right now, we can see only darkness before us, but the bright morning is sure to come.” Because of the effects of torture, he did not have full use of his body, but his voice resonated with strength.

       I also remember thinking to myself then: “Why did such a wonderful person as Great-Uncle have to go to prison? If only we were stronger than Japan, this wouldn’t have happened.”

       Great-Uncle Yun Guk continued to roam about the country, avoiding persecution by the Japanese police, and it was not until 1966, while I was in Seoul, that I received news of him again. Great-Uncle appeared in a dream to one of my younger cousins and told him, “I am buried in Jeong-seon, Kang-won Province.” We went to the address he gave in the dream and found that he had passed away nine years before that. We found only a grave mound covered with weeds. I had his remains reburied in Paju, Kyounggi Province, near Seoul.