UNJournal Jon Lee | The Republic of Korea is currently experiencing a major economic, political, and social crisis. Although each of us has been living our lives to the best of our abilities, the reason we are facing such a difficult situation is because we have lost our identity as "people."
Who owns Korea? The people of Korea. But unfortunately, the true sense of “people” is disappearing in our society. This is because we belong to various organizations, but we have lost our identity as a people, which should be the most fundamental thing.
Since the founding of Korea, our society has seen the creation of countless organizations. Religious groups have created organizations around their doctrines, corporations have created organizations for the pursuit of profit, and government organizations have expanded endlessly. Within each of these organizations, countless sub-organizations have been created, making Korea a society of organizations.
In this situation, we need to examine ourselves. We need to think about whether we are an organization or a Korean citizen. Of course, belonging to an organization is not a problem in itself, but we are a Korean citizen before we are a religious person, a Korean citizen before we are an office worker, a Korean citizen before we are a member of any political party, and this should be our most basic identity.
Unfortunately, we have neglected this basic fact, and as a result, various organizations have been dividing people under the name of “our side” and mobilizing them for their own interests. Political parties have divided people into ruling and opposition parties, religious groups have divided society over differences in faith, and corporations have ignored the interests of the people in the name of profit.
To resolve these issues and rebuild our country, now is a critical time. The five years from 2025 to 2030 will be a crucial period of great change and challenge for the entire global community. It will be a decisive period in which a new world order will be shaped and settled. In this period of change, Korea must fulfill an important historical mission.
We grew up learning about our nation's historical mission from childhood. Even when Korea was the poorest nation in the world, we were taught that we should honor our ancestors, achieve independence, and ultimately contribute to the common good of mankind. It was our mission to develop our own aptitudes, cultivate our inner capabilities, and contribute to the world based on these capabilities. However, our society is currently losing these fundamental values. Our spirit of “living well and contributing to the common good of mankind” has become blurred.
But now is the time to recover and renew this spirit. Korea has been the largest absorber and developer of human knowledge and culture over the years, and now we need to play a new role as a laboratory for humanity, rather than a mere receiver. We need fundamental research on what culture is, what role philosophy should play, and what direction human welfare and service should take. This will help us find answers to the problems facing human society and provide a new vision for the world.
To accomplish this task, each sector of our society must take innovative and concrete action. First, businesses must discover and practice new management principles that go beyond the pursuit of profit and contribute to the common good of humanity. They need to show what their ultimate purpose is and how they can provide greater value to human society.
Religions must go beyond simply gathering followers to present universal truths that humanity can sympathize with and follow. Whether Buddhism or Christianity, each religion must reinterpret and present the essence of their truths in a way that modern humanity can understand and accept.
The family must be restored as the foundation of modern society. The breakdown of families in our country today, the disconnection between parents and children, and the mistrust between friends is something we urgently need to address. Many people feel a deep sense of loneliness despite the many people around them. Finding answers to these problems is the task of the times for our country.
2025 is the year when this change and innovation will begin in earnest. Korea must overcome the current turmoil and difficulties and become a country that leads the international community. When we recover our lost values, find the answers for a new era, and share them with the world, Korea becomes a truly advanced nation that contributes to the common good of humanity. The crisis we are going through is labor pains and an opportunity for a new leap forward as a world leader.
We are a people who, even in the most difficult times of our past, had grand dreams for the common good of humanity. The period from 2025 to 2030 is a crucial time to realize that dream. It is time for all Koreans to take this historic calling to heart, and together we will make a magnificent journey toward a new future for humanity.
