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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.

From Suffering and Tears to Peace and Love

       From ancient times we have always had religious minds, and our hearts have always been open to receive the word of God. In addition, Koreans have always placed a high priority on education and excellence. As a result the Korean language and the Hangeul alphabet are considered treasures handed down by Heaven. Our language is rich with adjectives and adverbs that can be used to express the human heart.

       I love the Hangeul alphabet that we use. I am very fond of the term Hunminjeongeum, the original name of the Hangeul alphabet. It means “correct sounds for the instruction of the people.” It has such a beautiful meaning. The excellence of Hangeul has survived for centuries and continues to contribute beauty to human communication, even in this digital age. To me it is truly amazing that through a simple combination of consonants and vowels humans can communicate and even imitate all the sounds of the creation.

       For the past thirty years, I have been telling the members of our church in other countries to prepare for the future by learning Korean. Recently, the term hallyu, or “Korean wave,” was coined in China by journalists to describe the rapid spread of Korean popular culture throughout Asia. The popularity of Korean pop music, TV dramas, and movies has generated a large increase in the number of people learning the Korean language. There are now many people in Japan, Mongolia, Vietnam, and even Africa who can speak Korean. This is certainly not a coincidence. The soul dwells within language. The reason the Japanese tried so hard to eliminate the Korean language during their forced occupation was to destroy the soul of the Korean people. The fact that many people around the world now speak Korean means that the heart and soul of the Korean people are thriving in today’s world. It is because of heavenly fortune that Korea’s cultural influence continues to grow.

       The Korean people never want to burden others. When I was in America, I saw the stubborn character of Korean people. The United States is a country that has many types of social safety nets, but Koreans almost never want to take advantage of these. Rather than relying on the support of the government, they find ways to earn money in order to raise their children and take care of their older parents. This is how Koreans show self-reliance. I also see this in the missionaries that we have sent across the world. They don’t fear going to a country they know little about. This is true not only for missionaries but also for businessmen. Once they are given a mission, no matter where that mission may take them in the world, they drop everything and go. They are not indecisive or reluctant.