By Rev. Demian Dunkley — Senior Contributor, 360WiSE® Media
“Shouldn’t we serve Heaven to achieve world peace? As the Mother of Peace, I have lived my entire life for the sake of peace in the world; but now I feel utterly devastated. I am ashamed of Korea’s democracy, which treats me as a criminal.”
These were the words of Dr. Hak Ja Han, an 82-year-old humanitarian known around the world as the Mother of Peace, now held in detention in Seoul. Nearly blind, in frail health, and recovering from a heart procedure, her confinement has sparked outrage among faith leaders and human rights advocates worldwide.
For decades, Dr. Han has stood at the forefront of global efforts for reconciliation, women’s empowerment, and interfaith cooperation — convening presidents, prime ministers, and religious leaders from all backgrounds. Today, her imprisonment raises urgent questions about the direction of South Korea’s democracy and its treatment of faith-based movements.
“By disregarding compassion, international human rights standards, and the voices of millions who look to her for moral leadership,” wrote Rev. Demian Dunkley, President of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in North America, “prosecutors and the court have betrayed the very values Korea claims to uphold.”
The case has become a symbol far larger than one woman’s plight. Observers warn it now serves as a test of Korea’s moral compass and democratic resilience — one that history will not overlook.
Read the full editorial and statement at 360Wise.com/press
