God of peace, Korea went through many trials in the 20th century. Our people lived under colonization and many young girls had their dreams and lives brutally crushed. We were divided into North and South and forced to fight against our own flesh and blood. Now we pray for the opening of a new future of love and peace for the Korean nation. Help us leave a legacy of love and peace for the generations to follow.

God, give us the heart of Jeremiah, who wept tears like a flowing stream. Let the Korean churches “lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens.” Let the churches become filled with faith that will “search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.” Help the churches prepare for the new era.

Help us be a humble community that will “never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Open our ears to your voice and help us prepare for the future. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen. 

Our God, we pray for the Korean peninsula and the Korean people. Give us the heart of Jesus when he wept for Jerusalem.

God, remove the barbed-wired fences of the DMZ, which pierce our hearts, and replace them with flowers of love and peace. Let the train that is stopped at the Southern border run along the Northern rails with love and the gospel. Give us happiness filled with your peace, that it may overflow the peninsula.

God, we truly long for a new country. Let us reflect on the 20th century, spotted by colonization, division, war, the nuclear threat, social conflicts and insecurity, and help us write a new history of peace and love in the 21st century. Raise up your churches to take charge of creating new vision in the new era. May your promise, “the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new,” be realized in Korea and in the Korean churches. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray, Amen. 

God of peace, thank you for allowing our nation to overcome the 35 years of colonialism and to enjoy the freedom of independence. But that joy was too short, as we were divided into North and South and the Korean peninsula was turned into a battlefield of ideologies, leading to a terrible war. Most of the generation who were directly scarred by the war have gone to their eternal rest, but the succeeding generations still live under the threat of war in this divided system.

God of peace, have mercy on our young generation, that they may live in a peaceful world where there is no longer any threat of war. Instill in their hearts the zeal to overcome enmity and conflicts. May the young generation turn the two sides’ guns away from each other, transform them into plowshares and pruning hooks, and plow the land of peace. May they become a generation of reunification, committed to overcoming the division and peacefully reunifying our nation. In the name of Jesus we pray, Amen. 

God of reconciliation, the North and the South have been prevented from communicating for the past 70 years. Allow places and times for Northern and Southern intellectuals to gather and study the history of Korea. Give them chances to exchange academic information and excavate historical sites together. Let the North and the South communicate through joint excavations and joint symposiums. And through these activities, open a space where we can overcome the conflicts of division and contribute to world scholarship.

May the division of our nation not divide our history. Help us to overcome the physical division and to once again become the sisters and brothers of one nation. 2019 is a special year: the centennial of the March 1st Independence Movement. Let us remember the cries of our ancestors as they peacefully resisted the Japanese Empire. Remembering their voices, let all Koreans of North and South raise up their voices in praise to you. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Our God of love! Remember the Korean peninsula. May this land suffering from conflict and enmity be unified in peace. Pour your mercy and grace upon those whom you heal and raise as your servants.

Remember the North Korean refugees who have left their families and friends to come and live under a new system with very different life styles. Guide the lives of those dedicated to you as they battle with loneliness and isolation. Heal the refugee ministers who have committed their lives to you, that they may work as wounded healers in the reunification process. May they become comforting servants in the South, the North and all around the world. May they be ministers of reconciliation and peace who overcome conflict and enmity. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Our God of love and peace, bring the North and South together more often to talk. Help them abandon all enmity and discover their fraternal love through cooperation and communication.

God who leads history, we have spent 70 years under division and made so little progress towards reunification. Now, as we set aside our disappointments and await a new day, Lord, have mercy upon us. In 2018, it will be 70 years since the North and the South established their respective governments, “The Republic of Korea” and “The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” and during that year the Winter Olympics will be held in Pyeongchang. We are hoping to have a united North-South team, and we pray for your grace to make this possible.

God of history, grant that our participation in the Winter Olympics as a unified team will bring changes and progress in the relationship between North and South. May the Pyeongchang Olympics be an event prepared by you as a starting point of history towards peaceful reunification. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

God of compassion, people are worried about the high cost of reunifying our nation. Believers also worry that the rebuilding of North Korean churches and ministries for the people’s welfare will cost a lot of money.

God, strengthen the Korean churches’ faith, that they may take responsibility for the costs needed for reunification. Help them join in this work with willing and joyful hearts, rather than burdened minds. Help them keep their joyful hearts when unexpected expenses arise. Just as you gave Joseph the wisdom to prepare Egypt for the 7-year famine, we pray for your gift of wisdom to the churches as they save and prepare for the costs that will be needed for reunification.

O God, give everyone in the Korean body of Christ throughout the globe, from children to elderly people, chances to participate in the process of peaceful reunification. Guide the churches to come together in prayer, and lead all believers to joyfully bear responsibility for the financial burdens of our reunification. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Loving God, increasing numbers of North Korean refugees are entering graduate school. May they become precious workers building the reunified nation of Korea in all areas of society. May they be important human resources helping bring North and South together.

Lord, bless the North Korean refugees who are seeking master and doctoral degrees. When their further education is not financed by the government, help them meet the right helping hands. Grant that they will not be disappointed in pursuing their dreams due to unmanageable financial burdens.

God, help the South Korean churches and Korean churches all over the world to care for the education of the North Korean refugees. And raise up theological scholars among the refugees who will contribute to the revival and development of the reunified nation of Korea. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Our God! Have mercy on the North Korean refugee college students who are seeking a hopeful future.

God of wisdom, give these college students the wisdom of Solomon, that they may overcome all difficulties in studying and expanding their knowledge. Support them to transcend the differences between North and South curricula. Help them fortify their basic education and acquire foreign languages smoothly. Open ways for them to overcome the difficulties they face in their everyday lives.

May they prepare for their future with the peace that comes only from you. Help them meet companions in the faith on their campuses. Through your grace, help them focus on their studies and send helping hands when they are in need. Comfort them when they are homesick and missing their families, and protect their families who remain in the North. Lead them to victory as they pray and fight in faith. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Our God of love, have mercy on our 30 thousand brothers and sisters who have moved from the North to the South. Among them are those who are in financial difficulty, and those whose goal is simply to make it through the day. Open up ways for them to find financial stability in this land where everything is foreign to them.

God, it is difficult for the North Korean refugees to find stable jobs due to their lack of skills and professional knowledge. It is not easy for them to find jobs or persons who can help them. God, provide them with appropriate jobs. Provide chances for them to be trained in needed skills and to be educated in professional fields so they can earn a stable income.

Provide jobs that will allow the believers to keep the Sabbath. Help them avoid anti-social jobs. Raise up from among them capable workers who will lead us in the reunified nation. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Merciful God, thank you for allowing the South Korean churches to work for our peaceful reunification and for North Korea mission. Though the North and the South are in confrontation because of the nuclear and missile problems, we trust in and await the day when we will be reunified by your will. Give us the faith to strongly trust and depend on you, the Lord of history.

During the 70 years of division, North and South have come along very different ways. Though our language and blood are the same, our thoughts and cultures are totally different. We realize this whenever we meet a North Korean refugee. Open the way for South Koreans to understand our fellow Koreans in the North. Help us embrace them despite our differences. Help us serve them with the gospel, and broaden our understanding to include the causes of their idol worship.

May the general assembly and all presbyteries develop ways to educate South Koreans, so that the churches will be fully prepared for the day of the reunification. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

We give thanks, honor and praise to you, God, for establishing many churches in the North when the gospel was spreading throughout the peninsula 130 years ago.

The land that once was called the Jerusalem of Korea is now barren. Under communism the churches have been shut down, your faithful servants were martyred, and hundreds of believers fled to the South for religious freedom. Have mercy on those who have left their places of life with their families.

Lord, there are still believers in the North who, like stumps, are putting our new sprigs of faith. Receive the worship that they offer within their few remaining churches, and bless those who worship you in their homes. Have mercy on those who must hold their breath as they worship secretly. Protect those who have been discovered possessing Bibles and are suffering the consequences. Our God who is just, have mercy on the faithful believers and use them as your stumps for North Korean mission. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

We thank you, God, for freeing us from the oppression of the Japanese Empire on August 15th, 1945. By your grace we became joyfully free, but soon we were divided into North and South by the interference of the powerful countries. Because of the enmity between capitalism and communism, we were put through the tragedy of fighting against our own flesh and blood. The war, starting with the North’s invasion, inflicted huge casualties on both Koreas. It expanded into an international incident that devastated the whole peninsula. And finally the division of this nation was fixed by the setting of the “cease fire line” at the 38th parallel.

Now the world no longer fights over ideology. The situation now is one of fierce competition. In this era, may the North and the South become one, standing in the front lines of global mission. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Lord, have mercy on the North Korean teenage defectors who are wandering in third countries such as China, and who have no safe refuge. May the South Korean churches pray for them and share with them their wealth of spiritual and physical blessings.

God, open a way for the South Korean government to protect wandering North Korean teenagers who have defected. Clear the way for young people staying illegally in China to be protected by the nation and by international society. May the Chinese government acknowledge them as refugees and offer them living support. Protect their lives, wherever they are.

Provide them with daily food and a place to sleep every night. Provide them the opportunity to be educated and find hope for the future. Give them a chance to be used by you as workers in the reunified nation. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

God, we thank you for calling some among the North Korean refugees to dedicate themselves as your servants. We thank you also for instilling passion in their hearts for the rebuilding of the fallen altars within the home towns from which they fled.

There are many tasks for the North Korean refugee students in preparing themselves to be adequate workers for the rebuilding of North Korean churches. They need to study, expand their knowledge of the Word, train in spirituality, build their character as servants in the church, and receive training in ministry within the church system. Bless them with your wisdom and understanding, that they may not undergo difficulties in preparing all these things. Help them meet all their financial needs for study and training.

May the churches offer places for them to train themselves in the field of ministry, so they can be ready to work in the reunified nation. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.  

God of reconciliation, we repent that the South Korean churches did not reconcile with our brothers and sisters of the North before coming to the altar.

We have not loved our brothers and sisters of the North with sincerity, but have followed this world and this divided system in hatred and enmity. Help the South Korean churches learn from the German process of unification, which has been called “the quiet revolution of the Protestant church.” Help us remember the prayers of St. Nicholas Church, which were offered every Monday, and the great efforts exerted by the East German Protestant churches under difficult conditions, which helped reunification to happen. May the South Korean churches keep in touch with the North Korean churches, listen with sensitive ears to hear their needs, and always be ready to offer helping hands.

May the gospel that we enjoy through God the reconciler, Jesus the reconciling savior and the reconciling Spirit spread to the people of the North and become good news for them. May the churches work individually and cooperatively for this, and may our efforts serve to move us towards reunification of our nation. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

God of peace, it is the 70th anniversary of our independence, but this also means it has been 70 years since our nation was divided. Our independence was won according to the agenda of the powerful countries, and because of that our nation was divided. The division led in turn to the tragic history of dictatorship, injustice and pain, under which the division was solidified. God, help us to be unified not by the agenda of the powers of this world, but independently by us North and South Koreans. Help us prepare for our peaceful reunification step by step.

Change the hearts of the leaders of North and South, that they may lift the May 24th sanctions and honor the joint declarations of July 4th, June 15th and October 4th, along with the Inter-Korean Basic Agreement. Bring churches, government s and civilians together, and grant them your wisdom as they work to minimize the financial costs of division through study and planning how to meet there unification costs.

Awaken the churches to pray more earnestly for this and to prepare for the time of peace and reunification. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

God of the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit, united in love! Through your love, we learn how to accept and respect each other in love.

It has been 70 years since North and South became two divided, hostile systems. Not only do we live under the different systems of capitalism and communism, but the ideological, cultural and linguistic gaps between us have deepened over the past 70 years. Save us from the distrust we feel toward each other, and from the deeper enmity caused by false broadcasts and controlled information.

Help us embrace each other through the love shown on the cross by Jesus Christ, who commanded us to love our enemies. Lead us to the understanding that will bring peace and finally reunification. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Our loving Father, thank you for giving us the system called family in which we may learn to give and receive love.

In Korea for the last 70 years, however, 10 million separated families have instead spent holidays such as the New Year, Thanksgiving and Christmas; national family days such as Children’s Day and Parents’ Day; and the birthdays of their family members, in pain and agony. The times when others were celebrating family love, they have spent in sorrow and regret. God, who answers our cries, help us to resolve the enmity between North and South and to start setting up specific steps towards peace.

May the separated families be free to exchange news and send supplies as needed. Help North and South come to agreement and open a permanent video conference room allowing the separated families to see their each other’s faces as much as they wish. And ultimately, grant that North and South may be able to come and go freely. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

God of grace, we know you care especially for the poor, but we have ignored your command to look after widows and travelers, and have been buried in our own greed and selfishness. Forgive us our sin.

Approximately 30 thousand North Korean refugees have come to the South, yet we haven’t tried to understand or care for them. For this, we repent. We pray for your spirit to move the churches, civilians and the government to help the refugees overcome their identity crises and to settle in the South financially, socially and culturally. May the women, who constitute about 70% of the refugees, become independent, and not suffer double bondage as women and refugees.

God of grace, have mercy on the refugees who have had to leave their children in China. Open a way for the children to live with their parents, and help them overcome the linguistic and cultural barriers. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

God, grant your peace to those who have defected from North Korea in search of a better life. Help them and give them courage to overcome all the physical and mental difficulties they may meet while crossing the borders.

God, help us recognize the North Korean refugees as seeds of peaceful reunification and as opportunities to learn about the North. Open the way through them for us to overcome our more than 70 years of non-communication. Help us understand each other and prepare for the day when, by your will and providence, we will become one.

God, help us reconcile. In repentance, we ask you to hear your servants’ prayers and unify this divided nation, break down the walls, heal our wounds and make our nation one. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

God, may your peace fill the Korean peninsula. May your season come even to this divided land. We repent our greed and ask for peaceful reunification.

God, protect our young generations from continued enmity between South and North. Help them not to fall into a sense of superiority because of economic advantages or political pride. May they not have prejudice against neighbors they have never met. May they have a chance to overcome the cultural gaps, to communicate and correspond with one another. May the next generation accept each other as a part of their own nation with whom they share the same language and history.

God, especially help the young generation in the South Korean churches to pray for peaceful reunification and to extend friendly hands first. May they not fall into the pride that brings death, but become humble. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Heavenly Father who sent Jesus Christ as the cornerstone of all churches! Thank you for all the churches you have planted in our country, for sending our people to all the nations, and for helping them plant Korean church communities wherever they go.

Help the churches of South Korea to come together in preparation for our nation’s peaceful reunification. However, we pray that this will not be the task of the South Korean churches alone but will be joined by Korean churches all over the world. As we work and communicate with the official Korean Christian Federation in North Korea, may the Holy Spirit guide us to provide theological studies and reflection for the peaceful reunification of our nation. When the North, the South, and all the Korean churches around the world come together with the same heart and will, we ask that your Spirit of wisdom be poured upon us, that we may discern your will.

May every Korean church join in creating the spiritual and mental motivating power that will bring forth peaceful reunification. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Our good Father who sent us Jesus, the prince of peace! Thank you for helping us understand that the reconciliation of the cross means not only reconciling with you but also restoring harmony with our neighbors.

South Korea is experiencing severe conflict between rich and poor, regular workers and temporary workers, and so on, with each side tending to the extreme. By your grace, help us to resolve such conflicts, and to move together to end our persistent, decades-long enmity and confrontation with North Korea. We cannot understand each other through our own narrow perceptions; therefore, help us see each other through the love of Jesus, so that we may understand and accept each other.

Like the zealots and the tax collectors who became one through Jesus Christ, help our nation also become one. Help us walk in true reconciliation and unity. We pray this in the name of Jesus, the prince of peace. Amen. 

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob! We pray for the next generation of the North and the South. The younger generations in the South have grown up not knowing the poverty our people endured before and after the Korean War. They have been blessed materially but do not fully realize how Korea became a divided nation with North and South opposing each other. They do not fully understand the tragic history of this nation, nor do they grasp the political, economic and religious difficulties of the North Koreans.

Give the next generation more insight into the process by which our country was divided. Help them not only to be thankful for your protection and care, but also to have compassion for their brothers and sisters in the North, who are the people of our nation. Let the young generation recognize the North Koreans as their own family and not ignore their pain and suffering.

May the next generation be armed with correct perception of our history and with the love shown on the cross by our Lord, so that they will do their best to bring the day of peaceful reunification. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. 

Our God who is alive and who opens new horizons in history! We confess that the division of Korea is the result of our sins. Forgive our foolishness of ignoring the pains of our brothers and sisters. Forgive our foolishness of failing to heal the pain of our father’s generation, many of whom have left this earth with unresolved nostalgia for their hometowns. Forgive our dull-wittedness of not seeing the harm that division has brought to our nation. Grant the churches of Korea wisdom to consider and reflect on the divided reality of our country.

We ask that you will establish your kingdom through our nation’s reunification. For this, help us submit to your sovereignty. Help us dream of the reunification of our country. Help us not to give up on peaceful reunification but to keep praying for it. This we pray in the name of Jesus, who has risen and gives us peace. Amen. 

Our God who is glorified by our worship! Restore Pyongyang, which was once called the Jerusalem of Korea! Rebuild the fallen churches and the damaged altars. Have mercy on those left in North Korea who are faithful in worship and prayer.

May those who are worshiping you as a formality nevertheless be moved by your spirit. May the churches of North Korea offer up worship that is acceptable to you. Through their work, may more churches be established, and may the saving gospel flourish and lift the people up again.

Our God who works through your churches! Raise up your churches in North Korea through those you have left in the land, and through them establish your kingdom! We pray this in the name of Jesus, the head of the church and the cornerstone of the North Korean churches. Amen. 

God, who sent your only son Jesus to break down walls and make us one! It has been more than 70 years since our division into North and South, and during that time the divided family members have had to live without seeing each other. This pain of division is now turning to despair for us. We ask your mercy; may we see your work of breaking down the walls and opening the gates. Lord! Break down the walls and open the gates!

Move the responsible authorities in both North and South, that they will confirm the existence of family members and allow them to meet. May the divided families, who now have very limited time in this world, enjoy reunion with their long-separated loved ones. Through our faith in Jesus, who is the life and the way, heal the hurts that have been caused by the tragic war between brothers. From Mount Halla to Mount Paekdu, may the reunions of families continue; from Pusan to Shineuiju, may the disconnected railroads be reconnected. Let the people come and go freely and be reconciled. May we dream of peace while opening our way to reunification. We pray this in the name of Jesus who breaks down walls. Amen. 

God, you are the one who holds life and death in your hands! We believe that you lead and protect us in every step of our lives. We now pray for the North Korean believers who have defected and are living in other countries such as China. God of life, enfold them in your protective grace, comfort their fears, and safeguard every second of their lives as they face threats and risks.

Let your presence fill the places of their worship, where they confess to the God who does not sleep or grow weary. Help them find churches and people who will care for their troubled and lonely souls. Protect their health until they can meet their beloved families and return to their hometowns in our reunified nation. And raise them to be true warriors who will stand at the front line of North Korean mission when reunification comes.

We pray this in the name of Jesus, who will be with us till the end of time. Amen. 

God, you are the one who calls us and makes us your people! We pray on behalf of your precious servants who have responded to your call by becoming ministers, confessing that you are the one and only true God. We believe your call to them indicates your special plan and will for them.

Empower and comfort them as they live through the difficult realities of this world, and anoint their ministries that they may stand as your witnesses who do not fear death. Fulfill all their needs in their ministry, send them the right helpers, and bless their financial needs. Send the helping hands of your grace through whomever you will, secretly but abundantly fulfilling their needs as they work only for your kingdom and righteousness.

When the churches of your servants sing to you in praise and come to you in prayer, accept their praise and prayers. And through these precious workers, may your kingdom come in this world. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.  

Holy God, you are the true light of the world. At this time we especially pray for the next generation. May the next generation of this land be the leaders of unified Korea. Give wisdom to young people, that they do not ignore the scars of division but confront the truth. As they live in a society of intense competition, some fear this may intensify if Korea is united. Give them courage. To those who have neglected the cause of unification for their own comfort’s sake, grant the courage to take steps toward true peace. Spur on the next generation to pray for North Korea and to work for unity. May the next generation envision a peaceful and united Korea, and nurture in their hearts the longing to contribute to peace in East Asia and the world. May they not accept the current divisive state, but live as global citizens with generous hearts and great aspirations. May the young student refugees residing in South Korea also become future leaders committed to peaceful reunification. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you are the true hope of all nations and peoples. May the North Korean refugees be physically safe and secure as they cross borders for their survival. Be gracious to the refugees who have settled in South Korea, and guide them in adapting to the country as full members of society. There are others who could not adapt to South Korea and have left for other countries. Have mercy on them, guiding the 2,000 London-area refugees as well as those in other parts of the world.

God of mercy, may the refugees scattered all over the world not lose their Korean identity as they successfully adapt to the societies in which they live. May they be proud of their Korean heritage, and come to realize their hopes and dreams. Wherever they are, may they dream of the peaceful reunification of Korea and contribute to world peace. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Lord of history, nearly 30 thousand North Korean refugees have settled in South Korea. Help them to play valuable roles in the development of Korean society. The majority of them are young people, so may they grow to be capable leaders in various areas of politics, economy, society and culture. In addition, may they be valuable contributors toward the development of the coming age of reunification. Help them to settle successfully in South Korea and be leaders of reunification. May friendships with the refugees become opportunities for South Korean society to understand North Korea. Based on their experience of the North Korean system, society and culture, may they serve as mediums of better understanding between the North and the South. Move them to work specifically toward the peace and unity of Korea. Give wisdom to the Korean church to value the experiences and faith of the refugees. Give us the grace to join together with the North Korean Christians in praise of you. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Gracious God, thank you for your mercy and love. Protect the life and health of the North Korean citizens who cross borders seeking new life. Heal the scars and sorrows of the North Korean settlers who are building new lives in new lands. Guide them toward financial security. Be their personal shepherd.

May the Korean church show sustained care for the refugees and become their neighbors sharing love. May the refugees find Christ’s peace and love in the Korean church. Guide the church to help the refugees settle securely in new lands, and to continue praying and supporting the refugees' walk in faith. Together may they commit themselves to the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of the diaspora, many are immigrating and moving to various parts of the globe in search of new lives. Our North Korean brothers and sisters are in that situation. Some have moved to China or other countries seeking a livelihood. Some of these sisters and brothers have migrated to South Korea to live together with us. It is not easy for them to settle and adapt to this society after the long years of division. May we now reflect and repent of our myopic absorption with planting churches in North Korea, without taking specific actions toward reunification. Forgive us our foolishness in merely pitying the arriving refugees, or agreeing to meet with them only on the condition that they accept the Christian faith. May we be the first to be transformed, so that we may embrace them as one family under God, accept their differences, and help them feel secure. As we wait for the day of our gathering as brothers and sisters, may we, with Christlike hearts, take the first step in approaching the refugees as members of our family. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you are merciful to the widows, the orphans, and the wanderers. Have mercy on the North Korean refugee women and their children. They weep anxiously as they reside in China without assurance of their human rights. Their children do not have sufficient access to care and education. Make a way for needed support to reach these women and children. Give them secure homes and educational opportunities.

God of love and mercy, at times some North Korean refugee women are not treated humanely or justly while they dwell in foreign lands. Provide ways for them to receive the benefits and protections of the nation where they live. Give their children the opportunity to receive quality education. Turn their tears into laughter, and their sighs into songs. For this, may we first extend our hands to share Christ’s love. May we take care of these wanderers who have gone through disaster. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you are the Lord of life. At this time we pray for the women who have crossed the North Korean border in search of new life. It is said that some women are caught in human trafficking. We pray that in your mercy you will save them. Through your grace, may they keep their bodily freedom as well as their freedom of speech and thought, and be protected from injury. Have mercy on them, comfort them with your Spirit, and protect them. Uphold those who help them, that they may not get weary. Uproot the evil practice of buying and selling humans made in your image. Heal the scars and wounds in their lives, and may they be renewed to give glory to you, living in this land as precious recipients of your blessing. Reveal your justice in assuring all people of their basic human rights. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you are the helper of the weak. Our neighbors in the North are suffering under prolonged drought and hunger. Some have lost their human dignity, starving and scavenging for food. God, have mercy on them. Protect the lives of our brothers and sisters. With our financial prosperity, your blessing, may we take care of our sisters and brothers. Give us your own heart that we may extend hands of love. Give us the heart of the good shepherd, that we may carefully examine and give support to the social welfare facilities of North Korea. May we take keen interest in the social welfare of North Koreans, and be given the opportunity to support them with exactly what they need. Through your grace, may no one be deprived of food or clothing in either North Korea or South Korea. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you are sovereign over history. May our nation end its division and start a new age of reunification. Send us a faithful leader to help us overcome confusion in the process of reunification and to change the nation into a new community full of God’s love and peace. May the leader possess insight like Joseph, to accept our hostile brothers. May the leader be like Nehemiah, to sincerely love the nation without self-interest. May the leader be full of true faith and wisdom like Daniel, to bring a new future to the Korean peninsula. May the leader diligently and wisely guide the nation like Deborah, praise you wisely and intelligently like Miriam, and continue to pray in faith like Hannah. May the leader be the strength of the nation, to end the days of division and bring in the age of reunification, giving you all the glory. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, may the insanity of war never happen again. May your shalom cover the Korean peninsula and fill the land with your fruits of peace. May such tragic fratricide as the Korean War not be repeated. From our experience of war we realize and repent of our ignorance and cruelty. May such a period of insanity not visit us again. We recall the horror of 5.15 million dead and many more wounded, the corpses filling the streets and the moans rising to the skies. May we not repeat the tragedy of aiming our guns at the hearts of our brothers and sisters, and dropping bombs on one another. Under the reign of the Holy Spirit, may we be a people of love and peace.

God, may we not engage in empty wars of hatred and killing, but become a nation whose people care for and help each other, and act as witnesses for world peace. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, although we gained independence and liberation from Japan in 1945, Korea was divided into two. We suffered immeasurable deaths and injuries and immense material damages in the Korean War. The relationship of hostile competition between the North and the South still continues. How happy the citizens would be if the resources used for national defense in both North Korea and South Korea were redirected to social welfare and development! God, grant that the North and the South may proclaim reconciliation and start on the road to prosperity.

God, you know our nation’s wish. Upon this land divided into North and South, bestow your reconciliation and peace. Be present in our nation and the surrounding countries, bringing them your divine peace, and ushering in the day of peace in Korea, on its way to prosperity. May Korea take up a priestly role for the nations, witnessing to the gospel until the day of your return. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of peace, we approach you with contrite hearts. Have mercy on our nation suffering the pains of division. When North Korea, South Korea and the surrounding superpowers gather together, lead them in your Holy Spirit. May they practice mutual care and respect through your Triune power. May the six nations treat each other selflessly and make appropriate concessions, peacefully ushering in reunification. Take away the danger of war from the Korean peninsula, and bring nuclear disarmament. May these talks be a significant step toward peace in the Korean peninsula and peace in the world.

God, may the countries participating in the six-party talks achieve peace and reconciliation. May Korea become united as one on the way to peaceful reconciliation. In reconciliation may the nation wave the flag of the gospel. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of peace, we pray that you end the continued tragic division of the past 70 years, and grant peaceful reunification to the Korean peninsula. May the North and the South overcome the scars of division and transform into a community of peace. May the war in Korea cease with both sides respecting each other. Give us true reconciliation and healing according to your will. May the Korean nation be a community of love. May peace in Korea contribute to the lasting peace of humanity.

God, you reign over all the nations. May North and South Korea and the surrounding nations work toward peace in the Korean peninsula. May Korea respect the value of life and become one nation in peace. Move the surrounding superpowers to cooperate for the peaceful reunification of the North and the South, and exert a positive influence toward the achievement of world peace. Move the North to give up its development of nuclear weapons. As the North and the South achieve peaceful reunification, let us contribute to world peace and share the gospel to the ends of the earth. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

God of shalom, we praise you for calling us to work for peace. But we have neglected to address the division of Korea, in a state of Cold-War ceasefire for the past 70 years. Have mercy on us. As we dream of reunification we ask that you use us for this cause. May the North and the South overcome the Cold War mindset and cultivate peace. May we also come together as one team in cultural and athletic events.

You are the God who unites. Through the Olympic Games, humanity has cultivated friendship and goodwill. In winter and summer every four years we have gathered for athletic games. But the North and the South have participated shamelessly as separate nations. Save us from such foolishness and shame. In your providence let the North and the South form a united team. May we play as one and cheer each other on as one. In the process may we deeply realize our oneness. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

God of peace, have mercy on the Korean people. May we overcome the Cold War mindset of distrust and slander. Take away our violent and self-serving demands that could even spark war. Let us dream of the day when we will enjoy a united Korea. May your river of justice and peace flow over the Korean peninsula. Remind us that peace is the only way to reunification, mutual embrace is the only way to unity, and self-emptying is the only way to embrace justice.

Lord, be gracious to this land by healing our dry and barren hearts. In your grace, heal our painful division. The year 2020 will be the 70th year since the start of the Korean War. Before that time comes, send us the blessing of reunification, just as you granted us national liberation. May our nation arrive at peaceful reunification and enjoy your reconciling grace. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

God of peace, we give you praise and glory for freeing us from Japanese imperial rule. May Korean Christians be apostles of peace. Use us to heal the divided land with the love of Christ. With your heavenly love, help us to embrace the scars of fratricidal war. May peace fill the skies of North and South, still mired in threats of war under the long ceasefire.

In every town and every church may the people enjoy your reconciling grace. Give us heavenly wisdom to overcome our division and become one. Help us to respond wholeheartedly to the love of Jesus Christ, who is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Fill us with the love of Christ that unites two into one and breaks down dividing walls (Ephesians 2:14). May the Christians of Korea be the seed that falls and sprouts for the peace and unity of the Korean nation. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

God of love, thank you for planting the seed of the gospel in East Asia. May there be loving fellowship among the churches of East Asia. May they be united as one in your love. We pray that the Christians in East Asia will fulfill their calling as apostles of peace, and that the seed of the gospel will grow and bear good fruit.

Loving God, despite the national and ethnic differences, may there be genuine love among East Asian Christians. In the midst of international political tension, may they find the truth and be apostles of justice and peace. Give us the courage to be the first to extend a hand of reconciliation. May we forgive each other and become one. Transcending our different languages and cultures, let us praise you with united hearts. May we be a faith community that obeys you alone. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Lord of history, it has been 70 years since Korea was liberated from Japanese imperial rule. Thank you for your gift of liberation and freedom. But along with liberation came division and a war in which we killed our own sisters and brothers. Now we are under ceasefire, but the wall of division remains. The North and the South practice war and treat each other as objects of hatred. God, when will true peace reign over the Korean peninsula?

Since the ceasefire in the Korean War, the North and the South have kept their weapons aimed at each other. Following the Battle of Yeonpyeong and the Cheonan Sinking, the North and the South are in a tense situation. Allow peace to reign and prevent such conflicts from being repeated. May the Christians of Korea follow Jesus, who proclaims peace. May we be soldiers of faith and prayer, taking the lead in praying and acting for peace. May the Christians of the Korean church pray for peace. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

God of wisdom, we pray for the scholars who study reunification in Korea. There are many perspectives among those who diagnose and study the reality of the Korean division. While they may have different solutions, unite them in their basic desire for peaceful reunification. May they prepare the way to unity, overcoming differences in ideologies, political parties and regions. May the scholars accurately analyze and evaluate the reality of division.

God, we especially pray that Christian scholars studying reunification may know your desire. Use them for your will. May they study in Christ’s love to contribute to peaceful reunification. May they be instruments of heavenly peace. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Almighty God, thank you for saving our nation from the ruins of the Korean War, which was tantamount to World War III. Armed forces from 20 nations fought for three years, resulting in the deaths of more than 5 million. Through two years of negotiations between the UN and the communist governments there was an armistice agreement on July 27, 1953, which continues today as a ceasefire. North and South Korea are still aiming their weapons at each other in continued confrontation and tension.

O Lord, we pray for your guidance of the political and military leaders of the North and the South. May we ease the tensions through dialogue and mutually respectful interactions. Guide the leaders of the neighboring superpowers not to stand in the way of reunification. May order be restored in Korea, delivering us from the unstable and dangerous state of ceasefire. May we be your people who contribute to world peace through peaceful reunification of the North and the South. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you love our nation. Through the long years of division we are gradually losing our sense of unity. We are concerned that it may be difficult to live in harmony even if we are unified as a nation. Hasten the day of peaceful reunification in the Korean peninsula. Bring together the hearts of those who have grown apart through the traumas of war. May we mingle with each other as peacefully as grazing sheep.

As you helped the people of Israel who returned to Jerusalem after 70 years of Babylonian exile, help us renew our land. In your grace and love, restore in us a sense of national unity, and may we live as your people. Unite us, in your Spirit and love, to nurture compassion and care instead of hostility and jealousy. Grant us politicians like Nehemiah and leaders like Ezra. Send us national leaders who can unite the North and the South and restore a sense of unity. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, the Korean people are divided and are aiming weapons at each other. It has been 70 years since the barbed-wire fences were erected to divide the nation at the 38th parallel. Generations have passed since the 248-kilometer Korean War ceasefire line replaced the 38th parallel. There is almost no place on earth untouched by human hands, yet the Demilitarized Zone in the Korean peninsula remains untouched.

Lord, have mercy on our nation and let the borderline crumble. May the Demilitarized Zone symbolizing the scars of war now become an educational site for world peace. May the site of division and tension become the ground of unity and peace. May the peace-loving people of the world continue to walk through the zone. Preserve the environment, as it has become a peaceful place where animals roam. As the birds fly freely across the border, may the people of the North and the South interact freely with each other. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you make two into one and break down dividing walls. We repent of our shameful insistence that the other must change first. In this 70th year of division, lead us away from preparations for war, and guide us instead toward peace. May we let go of mutual distrust and hatred, and in their place recover mutual trust and love. May we remember that we were from the start a united nation of love.

God, you love our nation. Listen to our prayers. Have mercy on our people and help the North and the South not to slander our own sisters and brothers. In the spirit of Jesus’ love, may we converse with each other in mutual trust. May we let go of the bitterness that has settled in our hearts, and reconcile with each other. May both sides cease amassing nuclear and other weapons, and build up enough trust to beat our swords into plowshares. Open wide the opportunities for dialogue, such as the joint Christian prayers of the North and the South. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, let our land be the place where your words are realized: “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity (Psalm 133:1).” This is a dream we cannot achieve with our own strength, so we ask for your help. Just as Jacob and Esau were enemies but were reconciled as brothers, may the North and the South meet each other anew, and actualize the beautiful unity of the Korean people. Through our unification, may the chimes of peace ring out in the history of humanity.

May your will for peace and unity be done in the Korean peninsula. May this 70th year of division be the turning point to a new history. We pray that through specific efforts on both sides, the air will be cleared of mutual animosity. We fervently hope that in the near future the Korean people may see peace in our land. May the North and the South, the diaspora Korean church and Christians pray with one accord for peaceful reunification. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, we have passed through 70 years of division, by your grace. Thank you for protecting us from a fallback into war under the tense ceasefire. Now, let us depart from division and arrive at unity, not through war but in peace. Save us from the foolishness of the nuclear arms race. May we be a people of faith, trusting in your peace.

God, the world stands in the way of reunification, causing the North and the South to stay in opposition. North Korea is arming itself with nuclear weapons and making threats of war, and the South is exerting all its efforts to oppose the North. Reverse this situation in both the North and the South. Let us enjoy your will, your reign and your governance in this land. May the swords be beaten into plowshares. Through Korea, let the world see that you reign. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of love, tensions are increasing in East Asia. The Korean peninsula is between China and the United States, and is likely to be the site of conflict in international power struggles. China and Russia want power over East Asia, and the United States and Japan are together in the competition. In your authority and power, alleviate this state of competition and conflict. Holy Spirit, intervene to let Korea unite peacefully. Help us, that history may not be repeated.

Japan-Korea relations also have been in a tense state for a long time. In the age of colonial imperialism on the Korean peninsula, lands were extorted and the innocent were oppressed and murdered. But Japan has yet to acknowledge and repent of this history. Give wisdom to the leaders of North Korea and South Korea for the achievement of peaceful reunification. Through our unification, may the structure of conflict in Asia be resolved peacefully. May the Korean peninsula be a site of world peace. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of love, the North and the South have become enemies since the division and the Korean War. They view each other as hateful and dangerous. Across the ceasefire line in the middle of the land, they continue aiming their guns and swords at each other. They also keep a wall of division in their hearts. Have mercy on us. May we now cleanse the hatred from our hearts. May we achieve reconciliation and forgiveness. May we love our nation and our families and compatriots again. Guide us to overcome the division and walk on the road to reunification.

Loving God, forgive the North and the South for our sin of hatred. May we leave behind the sin of hating our brothers and sisters. May both sides now love one another, realizing that we are one nation. May we repent of our mutual distrust and our inciting of confrontation and conflict. May we live within a new history of reconciliation. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Compassionate God, have mercy on us in this tragic reality of North-South animosity that continues even after 70 years. Restore safe and free visitation between the North and the South. We pray that the day will quickly come when people can visit Geumgangsan and Gaeseong Industrial Park freely, and meet with their families to their hearts' content. Speed the day of peaceful reunification.

70 years have passed since the North-South division, but the North and the South still use the same language and eat the same food. There are differences in political systems and ideologies, but we cannot deny that we are one nation and one people. We feel this oneness as a nation and family, from Halla to Baekdu. May the Korean people be free to visit each other as one family. Let the day come when the North and the South enjoy each other’s beautiful mountains and rivers. May the Christians on both sides pray on our knees for peaceful reunification. May we become united to give you all the glory. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, in this 70th year after liberation, the North and the South are still divided. Help the next generation understand the realities of the past war and present division. May they strive toward peace and reunification. May they realize that overcoming the division is their confession and practice of faith. Help the next generation become the leaders of peaceful reunification. Help the Korean church to teach the young generation about the pains and evils of division.

God, may the next generation never forget that the North and the South are one nation, brothers and sisters. On both sides of the border may they overcome the pains of the previous generations and work toward reconciliation. May the young generation in the South reflect deeply on the tragic history of division. May the generation that has not experienced war become the leaders of forgiveness and reconciliation. May they overcome division and work toward peace. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Lord of history, we believe that in your love you will grant this nation and people its reunification, just as you have given us the joy of liberation.

God, 70 years have passed since the North and South division after liberation. The people who celebrated the same holidays and sang the same songs have been separated between North and South and regard each other as strangers. Have mercy on us, and lead the next generation in a new direction. Give them a sense of national unity. May they discard their prejudice and envision together their unification.

Give the coming generations the maturity to prepare for reunification. Let them discard their prejudice against North Koreans and love them as you do. With your love may they recover their love for their nation. Increase their capacity for understanding and acceptance to embrace the entire world. Help the next generation walk the path toward reconciliation. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, grant peaceful reunification to the Korean people, now living in division and hostility. May the next generation on both sides, as leaders of reunification, understand each other rightly. Give them the insight to overcome rigid mindsets and hostile relationships. As they understand each other’s society, use them to work out reunification in Korea.

God, in reunified Korea may the next generation dream of peace throughout the world. May they not forget that even after 70 years of division, we are one nation with one flesh and blood. May they not settle for the maintenance of hostile differences in ideology, belief or culture. As Esau and Jacob reconciled to each other and recovered their brotherly love, may they let go of prejudice and realize that we are one people. Give them open minds and hearts to understand each other. May the next generation of youth be united and reconciled as one. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, may your peace reign in this land. In your peace, may we overcome hostilities and conflicts. By the power of the cross, may there be reconciliation and peace. May we experience that love is better than hatred, that reconciliation is greater than conflict, and that forgiveness is superior to revenge.

God, during the 70 years of North-South division, another generation has arrived. May the next generation hope for peaceful reunification. Let the longing for reunification grow deep in their hearts. May they realize the value of peace, and may they be vanguards of peace. Use this generation for Korea, for East Asia, and for world peace. Let them take part in appropriate reunification and peace education. God, use the next generation for reconciliation and cooperation by the North and the South, putting an end to the national division. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, a third generation of young people now live in the age of division. May these young people and students be the generation that achieves reunification. May they dream of unity, as they work together for the nation. Open the way for the younger generation to communicate with each other along the borders. May those who grew up in different circumstances be united as one through your grace.

God of reconciliation, we pray especially for young persons who have come from the North. Give the young student refugees the wisdom and courage to work for peaceful reunification. May those educated under different ideological climates and socio-political systems care for and accept one another. Let the young people listen to each other, seeing the positives and negatives of both the North and the South. May they make valuable contributions to mediate peaceful reunification. May the young refugees work toward reconciliation and unity. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, after the blessing of liberation in 1945, there occurred the bitter division into North and South. This was a break in our national history that caused the painful separation of many from their loved ones. Who can fully understand the sorrows of people who are separated so completely from their families? Even the animals freely cross the border, but humans cannot come and go as we please. Grant us now the joy of reunion.

God, after 70 years, people are hoping even now for the assurance that their loved ones are alive and well. Remember those who miss their mothers, fathers, sons and daughters, hoping to get word from them. Do not delay but quickly allow them to meet or at least communicate with each other. As you gathered the scattered people of Israel, we appeal to you to reunite these 10 million persons with their families. This is our hope and dream, that the ceasefire line drawn in the middle of the Korean peninsula may be eradicated. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. 

Faithful God, have mercy on the people who have been separated from their families. Allow our 68 thousand neighbors who have requested to find and meet their families in the North, a chance to do so. In your grace, allow them to visit their hometowns, reunite with their families, and share their stories. There are many who are elderly, so we pray for the expedient establishment of a reunion center through which more of them can share the joy of reunion. Wipe away the tears of those who wait without an end in sight.

God, we thank you so much for your love for our nation and our people. May the new day of national reunification come. Let there be a smile on every tearful face, and let that joyful day dawn on every grieving person. Break the chains of division and cut through the truce line with the sword of the Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, we pray for the 10 million people longing to meet with their families again. 68 thousand have requested a search for their families in the North. Today, after 70 years of division, these persons are more than 80 years old. Lord, may they see their families again before it is too late. May there be a Meeting Place, a Permanent Reunion Center. May they meet with their separated families and relatives. May there be legal and systematic support for them to freely visit each other across the border. Comfort also the North Korean refugees who have recently become separated from their families.

Gracious God, we sincerely pray that you remember the families separated by division and war. They have yet to find out whether their families are dead or alive. They live each day in tears and longing. On the path to reunification, take down the barriers that stand in the way of their reunion. May the day come soon when the North and the South are peacefully united. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Merciful God, it has been 70 years since the tragic division began. Those who were in their twenties at the time are now in their 80s and 90s. They cannot return to their hometowns, and are separated from their missing relatives. It has been a very long time. Please end this tragedy. They have lived so many days, and are forgetting the faces of their beloved parents, brothers and sisters. Like the people of Israel who longed for home as they sat by the rivers of Babylon, these elderly members of divided families long for their North Korean hometowns. Have mercy on them. By the power of your love, may North and South be one.

God of history, break down the ideological wall that has arisen during the past 70 years. Allow the separated families to come and go freely across the border. May there be free civic interaction. In your mercy, heal the long-held grief of the separated families. May one peaceful Korean nation be formed through reconciliation. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you are in charge of life and death. We believe that the peaceful reunification of Korea is also in your hands. Even as the North and the South stand under ceasefire, South Korean companies and North Korean labor are working as one in Gaeseong to improve the national economy. The operation has faced a number of crises, and discontents and issues remain even now. God, we ask that in future, North-South cooperation will become more stable through Gaeseong Industrial Region. Open the way for national reunification through Gaeseong. May the North and the South acknowledge the fact that we need each other for the survival of our nation. May Gaeseong be the space where the national economy blooms. As we encounter one another may we understand and respect our differences. We pray that through our conversations, our economic exchanges will continue to expand. Bless us with prosperity as the North and the South improve economic relations through this experience of interchange. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of peace, may there be peaceful reunification of the North and the South, as “swords are beaten into plowshares.” May there never be another war in the Korean peninsula. Instead of war cries, may songs of peace reverberate in this land. May we stop the endless arms race, and may peace reign in the Korean peninsula. May the neighboring nations also cooperate for peace in Korea.

Grant us your grace, that the North and the South may cease their competitive relationship and prevent future war. May we put more effort into educating the next generation for peace, and providing social welfare for the marginalized. Through your blessing, may peace be proclaimed between the North and the South, starting us on the path to prosperity. Heal us by your loving hand. May we coexist in peace and reconciliation. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of life, thank you that life continues even amidst the tragedy of division. We praise you for allowing wildlife to thrive in the 248 kilometers of the Demilitarized Zone. We are amazed at your power of creation, spreading new life over the war zone with its countless lost lives. On the ground of armed confrontation you have graciously allowed endangered wildlife to make their homes.

God, grant us the wisdom of heaven. May we see your providence and grace in the lives thriving in the mountains and plains, the swamps and the wetlands. May the Demilitarized Zone be the place where we witness the wonders of nature, as a space for life and peace education. In this place where we witnessed so much human cruelty, may we learn that you, the Creator, are the Lord of life. Even as we remember the tragic scars of fratricide, may we become deeply aware of the value of peace and life. In that place, may we confess and repent of our sins and worship you in your power. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

You are the God who breaks down walls. Have mercy on the 10 million family members separated by the border between North and South. Open up a way for them to verify each other’s survival and to meet once again. Make a way for these families to be reunited in love, overcoming ideological barriers. Remember the refugees who have recently been separated from their families. Watch over the families left behind in the North, and protect them with your strong arms.

God of comfort, allow the Korean people to become one again. How can sisters and brothers live in peace while maintaining antagonism? We pray especially for your care of separated families living in pain and sorrow. Grant that they may at least be assured of their family members’ survival. Comfort those who are grieving, and make a way for their early reunion. Take down the systems that limit interaction and cooperation between the North and the South. Make possible even the smallest interaction, so that it may open up the channel to reunification. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of love and grace, there are about 28 thousand North Korean refugees starting new lives in South Korea. Most of them have left their beloved families in the North. Listen to the longing of a refugee who confesses, “I left my daughter behind in our hometown, and I miss her so much, I'm going crazy.” Comfort the sorrows of the refugees who left behind their beloved parents and children, brothers and sisters in their hometowns. Remember their grief, as they long to see their families’ faces even in their dreams. May the day of reunification come quickly. Until that day, protect and comfort the refugees. Help them as they struggle to adapt to a new society after the ordeal of arriving and settling in South Korea. God, have mercy on the North Korean refugees. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Almighty God, heal now the loss and scars left by the Korean War. More than half a century has passed since the ceasefire, but the scars of the war have not yet been healed. Be gracious to the millions of those wounded in the war, as well as to their families. There are those who are still undergoing treatment for their war wounds. Have mercy on them. The majority of the 10 million people separated from their families have no knowledge of each other’s survival. They cannot meet their missing family members, nor visit their hometowns. God, have mercy on the divided families. May the day of reunification arrive peacefully and soon. May there never again be tragedies like the Korean War in this land. Allow the separated families to come and go freely across the border, and heal the scars of war. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Creator God, may churches be raised up again in Pyongyang, the Jerusalem of Korea, and in every village of the North. May every church give you glory. Bless them that their neighbors may also speak well of them. May the South Korean church also obey your command to “go into all the world and proclaim the good news (Mark 16:15).” After many years of suffering through different socio-political structures, may the churches in the North and the South become one, being faithful to your gospel and obeying your command to “make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19).” May the churches of North and South Korea “bring good news (Isaiah 52:7)” of God to the world, “announce salvation (Isaiah 52:7)” as you desire, and become the “feet of the messenger” who climbs the mountain to announce that God reigns (Isaiah 52:7). We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Faithful God, we pray for the theological education institutions raising up North Korean church leaders. May Pyongyang Seminary be effectively and faithfully managed, fulfilling its role as the institution preparing ministers for churches all over North Korea. Help those who have committed their lives to this calling, that they may take up leadership for the reconstruction of the church and the evangelization of North Korea in the age of reunification. May the leaders produced by this institution be seeds that fall and sprout wherever they have been called. May the South Korean and global churches cooperate as one for this cause, providing material and prayer support. Make the North Korean churches widely known for their faith, and bless their contributions toward national reunification. We believe that everywhere in the Korean peninsula the seed of the gospel will take root and grow to bear the fruit of life. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

God, we pray for the Korean Christian Federation. Bless this only official line of communication open to Christians in the North and the South. May it be a gathering that proclaims your glory and obeys your will wholeheartedly. May this be an organization that cooperates and prays together for Korea’s evangelization and peaceful reunification. Let your Holy Spirit fall upon Bongsu Church and Chilgol Church. May the underground churches also be renewed to become your faithful organizations. Bless the North Koreans with the freedom to worship. Listen to the prayers of our Northern brothers and sisters as they worship you. Usher in your season through KCF. May the wind of spiritual repentance and transformation blow through them, filling them with your power and fullness of life. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, thank you for raising up your church in all corners of the world and spreading your message of peace and love. We praise you for your work in allowing Christians from the North and the South to worship together with church leaders from around the world at Tozanso, Japan, and Glion, Switzerland. Thank you also for the joint prayers composed by the North and the South on Liberation Day each year.

Merciful God, may the Christians in the North and the South become the foundation stones for peaceful reunification. Through communication and exchange may we cooperate with each other to become prophets of life and peace. We pray that your Word of life, justice, and peace will take root in the Korean peninsula. May no cults or heresies come near or invade your church, which was redeemed with your own blood. May we believers be armed with right beliefs. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Lord of the church, thank you that churches can be seen everywhere in South Korea, and that anyone can find a neighborhood church in which to worship. It is heartbreaking that many do not seek you even with churches in their neighborhoods. But in North Korea there are few churches worshippers can attend. Now there are Bongsu Church and Chilgol Church in Pyongyang, but we remember that 70 years ago there were beautiful sanctuaries everywhere in the North, and Pyongyang was called the Jerusalem of the East. God, rebuild the churches in the North, that they may proclaim your truth and glory to the nations. May the North Korean churches of the future not be divided along denominational lines as they are in South Korea. May they be one unified church. As one, may the Korean church accept each other’s differences and be a blessing to others. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Merciful God, raise up your holy sanctuaries again in every North Korean village. As you allowed the Babylonian exiles to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, give the North the same blessing. Raise up spiritual leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah for the reconstruction. Start the fire of spiritual revival as the churches resume their stand to fulfill their calling as salt and light for the world. May Pyongyang recover its past title, “Jerusalem of the East.“

God, you are the Lord of the church. May the South Korean churches cooperate together to raise up the North Korean church. Rather than competing with each other, unite us in one mind. May we wholeheartedly obey your will. Shine the light of your grace on the Korean peninsula, and give us the salvation that makes all things new. In your power, break down the barrier at the 38th parallel. May the light of your gospel shine in all the towns of the Korean peninsula. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of life, there are about a hundred thousand North Korean refugees residing in China and other countries. Have mercy on those who live in darkness. Just as you heard the cries of the ancient Hebrew slaves, listen also to these people’s cries of suffering. They live each day in anxiety. May they escape from hunger and poverty. May they not give up on life, but continue to live. May they not lose hope for a peaceful life.

Almighty God, embrace the North Korean refugees with your love and grace. May their human rights not be taken away. Protect their lives and their rights. May they enjoy their human dignity just as you have created them. Guide them in your unfailing love. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you care for the wanderers. Even after 70 years of independence there are those who roam in foreign lands as nomads. Protect the North Korean refugees who are barely making a living. May their basic human dignity not be violated. Protect them, that the refugees in China will not be deported to North Korea. May China, a signer of the International Refugee Convention, acknowledge the North Koreans’ refugee status. According to your will, guide the refugees to their desired destinations.

The wandering North Korean refugees are away from home and are suffering greatly. Have mercy on those who have no choice but to escape for their lives. Protect them from all danger. Have mercy on those who seek a new way of life, and be gracious to them. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, grant the grace of Jehovah Rapha to the tuberculosis patients in the North. Provide ways for treating the considerable number of North Koreans suffering from this disease. Equip North Korea with sufficient medical equipment, facilities, specialists and medicine. Grant their health workers sufficient medical knowledge for complete eradication of this illness. Help the patients overcome their pain during the treatment process. Provide ways for them to get enough food and rest until they are completely recovered. Above all, give them the assurance that they can be free from tuberculosis, and let them keep their hope of living a healthy life. For this cause may there be effective coordination and distribution of aid by the international community and South Korea. Open ways for dialogue and humanitarian aid in which ideology and political structures do not stand as barriers. Grant your peace today to those who are battling illness. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Lord of life, our hearts break when we hear about the children who suffer in the shadows of every society. Help those souls who are withering away despite the material wealth that surrounds them. Protect the children who are going hungry in the midst of disasters and famine. We pray especially that you will open the way for international and South Korean cooperation on behalf of the children in North Korea. Provide them opportunities for the sharing of food and medicine. May there be consistent concern and assistance for medical and social welfare facilities. Open the doors for the provision of medicines and hospital equipment necessary for providing healthcare and treating disease. Help us to share the facilities and materials needed for children’s education. May the children in the North and the South grow up healthy and strong to become leaders in the age of reunification. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you are the Lord of history. Through your grace, grant us the vision of a unified Korea in the next generation. May the next generation open a new era in the Korean peninsula where everyone lives and thrives, where human dignity is respected and love overflows. May they overcome all competition and hatred, and usher in an age of cooperation and love.

God of peace and reconciliation, for this purpose we ask that you open the gates of interaction to the youth of North and South. May they be the generation of reunification, serving as stepping stones to social unity. Comfort the youth who suffer under materialism and extreme competition in college entrance exams. Protect those who have been separated from their families as they crossed national borders. May these young people, in whatever circumstances, not despair but stand firm in your grace. We especially pray that youth within the church will grow up to be leaders of peaceful reunification. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Prince of Peace, this is the 70th year of our national division. In the long years of separation spanning several generations, there is increasing unfamiliarity, hatred and misunderstanding between North Korean and South Korean citizens. Alleviate the social and cultural differences caused by the separation. May we be unified and live as one nation. May active exchange occur wherever possible, in the cultural sectors of music, literature and the fine arts. May the North and the South respect and care for each other, laying a bridge to reunification. As one nation, may we share one culture. Through mutual exchanges in the arts, may we continuously learn about, understand and accept one another. May we share our pictures and music, understand one another's dances, and have our eyes opened to each other through literature. Give us the opportunity for communication and mutual understanding to overcome ideological barriers and to share our artistic inspirations. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Lord of all creation, may Seoul and Pyongyang, the North and the South, interact in beautiful harmony. Open an age of communication through athletics. Guide us as we get to know each other and grow to care for each other in the midst of sportive physical contact. May athletics be the space for communication for the peaceful reunification of the North and the South, so that the citizens of both sides may become one and show our unity to all the world.

God, you unite divided hearts. May the Seoul-Pyongyang soccer meet that started in 1929 resume once again. Make a way for the historic Gyongsung-Pyongyang soccer match to serve as a bridge between the North and the South. Make opportunities for other sports games also to serve as spaces for friendly interaction. As the North and the South run and play together, warm our frozen hearts toward each other. Starting on the athletic field, let us become one. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of life,  we pray for our brothers and sisters in North Korea. Following a series of natural disasters, they suffer from a food crisis every spring. Have mercy on them. Grant that they may have enough daily food. Preserve the woods and forests of North Korea. We pray for an end to the natural disasters, but if they occur, may the North Korean people recover through your grace.

Loving God, we pray for active agricultural exchanges between the North and the South. May we learn from each other and supplement each other in developing needed agricultural technology. Through our mutual exchanges, help us see agricultural progress. May our mutual exchanges and cooperation contribute to increased production while preserving the environment.

Grant that the policymakers, agricultural specialists and those  directly involved in farming can work closely together, in your grace. 

We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Merciful God, help us to prepare the way as we wait for the day of reunification. Help the North and the South to communicate with each other. May we rediscover our oneness, overcoming the hostilities of the past. May helping hands continue to support those who are suffering in North Korea, and in the process may we realize that we are sisters and brothers in God’s love.

God, there are over 7 million in the global Korean diaspora. May they be instruments of your love and peace, fulfilling their calling to work for Korea’s reunification. Open wide the path for their free communication with North Koreans. Use them as your bridge toward peaceful reunification. Lend them your strength, courage and capacity, and guide them according to your will. Through your power, may they be instruments of your peace. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, among the North Korean refugees there are 3,500 teenagers and 7,600 in their twenties. The teenagers face many obstacles as they enroll in schools and continue their education. Please help them, as it is not easy to overcome the differences between school systems, and to make up for the time they have lost in transition. Some also face prejudice from school mates. Give the refugee youth the strength and wisdom to overcome their difficulties.

Many of the refugees in their twenties are in university or are preparing for higher education. But a substantial number of them also drop out of university. God, grant these youth and young people the wisdom of Solomon. Give them the faith that they “can do all things in God who gives them strength” (Philippians 4:13). May they finish their education and contribute as main leaders of reunification. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Merciful God, help us to embrace as our own the 28,000 North Korean refugees settled in South Korea. In your love, give them the strength to overcome the language and cultural differences. Through hope, may they overcome the hardships of life under a different social system. May they not face discrimination or insults. Give them suitable occupations, and the satisfaction that comes from honest labor. Give them financial security that they may live in joy.

Some of these refugees are living in destitution. Extend your grace to those who are having difficulty putting food on the table. As we have received your mercy, may we be the ones who share the same love with them. Guide them a step further, making them a light of peace preparing the way for reunification. May they be the strength of our people and the foundation of reunification. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Merciful God, protect the North Korean refugees. Keep their bodies and souls safe as they escape from their homeland. Sustain them as they seek safety and freedom, risking contempt from many and separation from their families. Lead these displaced people in your righteous path. Save them from emotional wandering, and grant that they may once again put down roots. Give them wisdom to work out a new future with passion and hope.

God, you are the Lord of life. Keep the North Korean refugees healthy, and protect their lives. Open a way for those who hope to enter and settle in South Korea. Give us eyes to see the pain and anger, despair and loneliness within their hearts. May we embrace them as our brothers and sisters. Ultimately, grant us peaceful reunification, so that such suffering does not happen again. Bring us together on the day of reunification. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of life, protect North Korean citizens who cross their border seeking a livelihood. Give them strength and keep them from falling as they walk through unfamiliar foreign lands. Keep them from the dangers of frostbite, harsh chill, blazing summer and desperate hunger. May they safely cross dangerous rivers, and escape harm in the darkness. We pray especially for your protection of the children, women, the elderly and disabled persons. Hold the vulnerable in your hands. Embrace them until they are settled in new lands. We pray that you will protect their lives and keep them safe.

Merciful God, relieve the North Korean economy, that none may go hungry. Holy Spirit, work in us that the South may share our food with the North. May the day come quickly when North and South, in mutual trust, stop our war and share our food. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, comfort those who have been longing to meet their families since their separation 70 years ago. Give ear to their cries and relieve their sorrows. May they persevere through the pain and experience your grace. Grant that they may not give up their hope of reunion. May the day come when the divided families can freely cross the border between the North and the South.

Gracious God, we repent of our sin of apathy concerning their pain. Forgive us. May the governments of the North and the South, as well as the church, do our best on behalf of those who are separated from their families. Give them news of their loved ones - where they are and how they are making a living - and make it possible for them to communicate with each other. Turn their tears of grief into tears of joy. Through your grace, may the dam of division crumble in the current of their tears. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God of creation, we pray for North Korea, the nation of our separated brothers and sisters. Have mercy on the dry and barren forest land of North Korea. May its mountains be renewed according to your order of creation. May trees and plants bear new life, and mountains and hills be covered in shades of green. We pray that South Korea and foreign civic organizations will extend their faithful support in prayers and resources, caring for those mountains and plains as their own.

God of all creation, send your gracious rain down on the devastated forests of North Korea. Have mercy on the land. Sustain all those who work with sweat and tears to renew the natural environment of the North. By your great hand, help them bear great fruit. May the barren land be covered with lush hope. May your mercy spread to the mountains and hills of North Korea. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, you are the Lord of history. 70 years have passed since the division of our nation. The North and the South have been living in enmity, following the fratricidal Korean War with its incalculable number of deaths. Countless families were separated by the war, and parents and children, brothers and sisters still are unable to verify each other’s survival.

God, full of grace, forgive the sins and wickedness of our nation, and have mercy on us. May we overcome the wall of division between the North and the South to truly communicate with each other. As the United States and Cuba overcame 53 years of animosity to achieve friendly relations, may the North and the South of Korea also enjoy mutual communication and cooperation. May there be vigorous civic interaction and humanitarian aid between the North and the South. May the South Korean church, Christian NGOs, and cooperative agencies contribute to breaking down the barriers. We pray that you may use the Korean church to form a healed, reconciled and peaceful Korean community. Let us be your instruments of peace and reconciliation. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Loving God, through the territorial division in 1945, the state division in 1948, and the national division in 1950, the North and the South have been separated. Due to the series of natural disasters since 1995, the North Koreans have continued to live in poverty. Grant them your grace, that they may live with the dignity with which you have created them. Now, through peaceful reunification, may there be balanced development between the North and the South. Open the doors for nongovernmental aid agencies and organizations to cooperate in the development of the North Korean society.

Almighty God, may the nongovernmental organizations of South Korea and other nations overcome the existing political pressures and barriers that block their efforts to help the globally marginalized North Korean citizens. Open the gates for life necessities and education to reach the children, and for medicines, hospital equipment, food, clothing and other daily items to reach the citizens. Grant that their vegetation may flourish to reverse the deforestation. We pray that needed resources may be freely delivered to North Korean citizens at any time. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen. 

God, Lord of history, it has already been 70 years since the division of the Korean peninsula. Now we pray that you may grant us reunification and peace. May there be increased civic gatherings and conversations through which we gain deeper understanding of each other. We pray that the citizens of the North and the South may meet on the road to reunification, and that our encounters and conversations will prepare the way for unity.

Loving God, through positive interactions between the North and the South, may we be freed from our misgivings and prejudice. May the powerful neighboring nations accept the peaceful reunification of the Korean peninsula, rather than seeking their own interests. Help us, Holy Spirit, in our progress toward reconciliation and peace. Through your power, may peace reign in East Asia. We pray in Jesus¡¯ name, Amen. 

Loving God, the Korean people have been living in mutual hostility for 70 years, ever since the division. Scarred by the Korean War, the citizens of the North and the South have drifted apart, treating one another as objects of hatred. We cannot come and go freely, nor can we love and care for each other. May the citizens of the North and the South now overcome the wounds of the past, understand one another, and reach out in compassion to embrace each other in love. May the South Korean church be the first to extend our hand of love to our brothers and sisters in the North.

God, full of grace and love, may the citizens of the South and the North overcome our hatred toward each other and be reconciled. May there be peaceful interaction between us, as members of the same Korean family. Take away our evil motives and help us to accept each other as God-given sisters and brothers, in the spirit of reconciliation. May the South Korean church lead in the task of achieving national unity. We pray in Jesus¡¯ name, Amen. 

God, you answer the prayers of those who weep. Take away the barrier that cuts this nation in half. Listen to the sighs of the nation, and lead us in the path of unity. May the Korean peninsula be united in peace, without war or hatred. Listen as we pray in tears.

Loving God, we confess that in our hearts we have demonized and despised our Northern brothers and sisters. As we repent, may we now sincerely devote our lives to peaceful reunification. Help us to be the first to extend hands of reconciliation for unity in peace.

God of peace, may we give ourselves wholeheartedly to envisioning the day of reunification. May the North and the South achieve reunification in the Christian faith. May the South Korean church approach the North Korean church with open hearts. We pray in Jesus¡¯ name, Amen. 

God, you love this nation and its people. Thank you for giving us freedom from the Japanese Empire. Thank you for sustaining our people through the ordeals and hardships of history, and allowing economic development and democratization.

Almighty God, this nation and its people face the 70th year of division, yet are still unable to achieve national unity. Guide us, the Korean people, that we may arrive at unity autonomously, without interference from external forces. Hear the prayers of your servants, and may this nation and its people become one.

Loving God, it has been 70 years since the division of the Korean peninsula. We repent of our sins. We pray that you will forgive us, heal our wounds, and revive our nation. May the South and the North now trust each other and lay down our weapons of war. Give us wisdom to arrive at unity through peaceful methods and strategies. Holy Spirit, guide us to unite peacefully without relying on nuclear weapons. We pray in Jesus¡¯ name, Amen.