The National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK) is calling on churches around the world to join in prayer and solidarity for the peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula, as the nation marks the 80th anniversary of its liberation from Japanese colonial rule and subsequent division.
The annual Sunday of Prayer for Peace and Reunification will be observed on Aug. 10 at Yeondong Church in Seoul, with ecumenical partners across the globe invited to participate in shared prayer and worship.
The NCCK has released a special liturgical prayer titled “2025 Prayer for the Peaceful Reunification of the Korean Peninsula: On the Occasion of the 80th Anniversary of Liberation and Division.” The prayer reflects on decades of division, recent democratic renewal, and hopes for a future marked by reconciliation.
“God of peace, this land now stands at the edge of its darkest dawn,” the prayer begins. “Breaking through the silence of a long night, we begin to hear faint signs of peace rising from afar.”
The call to prayer comes after a turbulent period in South Korea’s political landscape. Martial law was declared in December 2024, sparking nationwide protests. After months of civil resistance, a new democratic government was inaugurated earlier this year.
NCCK leaders thanked global faith communities for their support during the crisis and emphasized the importance of ongoing accompaniment. “Small but meaningful steps are being taken, and we ask for your continued prayerful accompaniment,” the message read.
In a spirit of global unity, the NCCK is encouraging churches to use the shared prayer during services on Aug. 10. Churches are also invited to send photos and messages of solidarity, which will be featured on the NCCK’s website as a visual sign of collective hope.
Next year marks the 40th anniversary of the first shared Eucharist between churches in North and South Korea, held in Glion, Switzerland in 1986. The NCCK expressed its desire to commemorate the historic occasion, praying it may inspire renewed ecumenical dialogue.
Churches around the world are urged to stand in prayer, remembrance, and hope, joining a movement that seeks not only the end of conflict but also the flourishing of peace.
Read the full prayer in both English and Korean here.
Photo: A peace convocation and march commemorating 70 years since the start of the Korean War was held by the Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea on June 20, 2020, at the White Horse Memorial in Cheorwon, South Korea, near the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea. Horse Memorial in Cholwon, South Korea, in area of the demilitarized zone between North and South.
