The North Korean mission is inseparable from the South-North unification policy. In addition, the opinions of neighboring counties are also important. Such are the perimeters of the North Korean mission. This study attempts to examine North Korean mission, particularly the reconstruction of North Korean Church within the process of South North unification process. The reconstruction of the North Korean Church, as North Korean mission and unification movement, is a policy issue amidst the unification process. It is a policy that can create a basis within the North Korea and effectively manage the personnel, financial and mission resources of the South Korean Church. At the same time, the reconstruction of the North Korean Church joins the reunification process of the Korean peninsular with the North Korean mission purposes. The current situation is created by the ideological conflict between the conservative versus liberal elements within the Korean Church in regard to the North Korean mission and unification movement. In addition, there is a great disparity in the approach towards the reconstruction of the North Korean Church. The problems are three-fold: 1) Who is the protagonist of the North Korean mission? Is it the South Korean Church? or is it the North Korean Church? In case it it’s the latter, the term North Korean mission does not apply. 2) The phrase “North Korean mission” implies an imbedded view of the South North division. 3) Should the North Korean “Chosun Christian Association” be accepted as a partner in the North Korean mission? Or should it be viewed as a mission object? The best means of North Korean mission is to have the “Chosun Christian Association” take the leading role in the reconstruction of the North Korean Church. Since, however, it is the South Korean Church that is taking action to prepare for such an event, mutual cooperation between the two is essential. The reconstruction of the North Korean Church cannot be achieve by the South Korean Church alone. In addition, the reconstruction of North Korean Church is linked to the Korean war, a factor behind the division of the Korean Church into the liberal and conservative camp. The anti-communist stance of the South Korean regime was another factor that unified the right wing Christians. Attempts by the “Korean Christian Association” to reconstruct the North Korean Church within this approach involved, not only efforts to reconstruct the North Korean Church, but various aid programs. However, such aid programs were commonly perceived to be the work of mission organizations and not the conservative South Korean Church. Furthermore, the “Korean Christian Association,” which advocated the reconstruction of the North Korean Church, were mistakenly criticized as an organization that were only interested in the reconstruction of the Northern Church. Therefore, the reconstruction effort of the Northern Church must be newly reinterpreted. The role of the Church, from a mission history perspective, is to be a bridgehead of mission, a center of training for workers, and center of mission field. As such, though the reconstruction of the Northern Church is premature, efforts to prepare for such an event, financial preparation, training center for mission workers and confidence building between the South and North through information and assistance projects can be viewed within the context of the unification process. The North Korean mission through the reconstruction of the Northern Church within the context of the unification process can promote the unification capability of South and North. It is futuristic unification policy of the Southern Church. Precedents for the reconstruction of the Northern Church must be found from similar cases following the liberation from Japan and post-Korean war and examined strategically. The North Korean mission must conclude with the reconstruction of the North Korean Church.

• 박영환(서울신대 교수ㆍ선교학)