Brothers and sisters of the global church   I bring you all wishes for a deeply spiritual and liberating Christmas in this year of 2014.   I want to bring my thanks to all our partners for their loving solidarity for the ecumenical movement in Korea.  We in Korea experienced this so strongly at the WCC General Assembly last year, and rejoice in the WCC statement that came out of that Assembly that solidarity and cooperation is to be encouraged between Christians of North and South Korea, which will lead in time toward our Peninsula’s eventual reunification.  This encouragement makes it possible for the NCCK to continue in its commitment.   In this season of the year, we regret the issues that we have not been able to solve.  The suffering of the families of the victims of the Sewol Ferry and the temporary labourers who are treated so disrespectfully by employers is very intense, and NCCK is doing all it can for these issues.   Hopefully next year will see a substantial move forward in the questions around the relationship between North and South Korea 2015 is an important year – marking the 70th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula’s liberation from Japanese occupation.  It is also the 130th year since the coming of Christian missionaries from America, the Methodist Henry Appenzeller and the Presbyterian Horace Underwood.  We want to celebrate these special milestones in our life – always aware that total liberation will not be achieved until reunification.   There are a number of reasons why Korea has not been able to approach or achieve reunification.  There are the conflicts between the superpowers which surround Korea, like the U.S. and China, and our self-reliance has been blocked by their interference since 1945.  It is a major goal of NCCK that 2015 will achieve the first step of establishing a peace treaty, first by discussion of the 4 major parties of North and South Korea, the U.S. and China, and a lively exchange of a relationship between government, church, and civil society in both North and South Korea.  Honest discussion and a treaty will mean that the May 4, 2010 declaration prohibiting all contact between South and North will have to be abolished.   As we think about reunification, we realize that a new society for Korea will have to respect human rights.  We read in Scripture that first of all we are to love and respect one another as equals in the family of God.  The government has reversed this, by saying that a society has to develop the economy first.  With such a view, which leaves behind the week and vulnerable, the way was prepared for the great tragedy of the Sewol.  We at NCCK are still demanding the full investigation into the Sewol situation, and continue to call for everyone’s voice to be heard.  We look to this issue to be brought to a satisfactory conclusion in 2015, so that in the years ahead, our society will be more secure and more aware of the needs of our people.   As Jesus Christ comes to the earth and the light of the bright star of Bethlehem touches our hearts anew, we wish that the Good News of the Gospel will be yours.   Kim Young Ju