Midlands Korean Pastor Celebrates News of Peaceful Unification with North Korea

Columbia, S.C. (WOLO)–  The Midlands Korean community is celebrating. Many of them hoping someday very soon their family separated for decades can finally reunite. Rev. Dong Y. Kim said he feels like this is a daydream, but is already preparing for the peaceful unification.

Doors are opening for North and South Korea to come together again. Kim describes the event as amazing and unbelievable.

“I couldn’t sleep. I was really crying, just lots of tears. And I watched all night long on live TV actually,” Kim said excitedly. 

An emotional event he has waited decades for.

“Over 70b years, over 70 years,” Kim laughed. 

A North Korean leader steps foot on South Korean soil and with a shake of a hand, bringing an end to an era. A day he never thought he would live to see.

“Not at all, not at all. Think of last November! We were on the brink of a war,” Kim said.

Kim is excited at the prospect of bringing his kids to North Korea. Kim said a family is defined by who is sitting at the table during a meal, and now, he is looking forward to having distant family from the Northern side sit beside him for dinner.

“Expectations are high, but also, there is skepticism. That’s why we need to support the operation from America and China, and all of the world. Just work together, for the world peace! To monitor them so they cannot lie or hide something, no,” Kim said.

He said it is going to take time, but the first step of building up trust is critical. He knows it will take a while since there has been bad blood for decades, but he has prayed for this day for a very long time.

“The first small step, of a big gigantic future,” Kim said.

A flyer Pastor Kim shared shows how anyone in the Midlands can help those in North Korea. Some of the tips are praying for peaceful unification and donating money to help bring North Korea new bibles since it’s been so long.