Petitions against Refugees: A Theological Response to S. Korea

CURA Colloquium with Hyunwoo Koo, PhD Student, School of Theology Since June 2018, a wave of Yemeni refugee applicants has arrived in Jeju, South Korea. Although the government is administrating several programs to support the Yemenis, the dominant voice among Koreans is hostile to the newcomers. Moreover, those Koreans who against the Yemenis have proposed a number of petitions to pressure the government to deport them from Korea. This essay--after introducing and analyzing the stated social phenomenon--proposes a theological response to the current discourse. The relevant theological concepts, including the theology of Jeong (or relationality), therefore, are expected to present a critical example of how religion can motivate and fuel its adherents and the society to seek reconciliation in the midst of the violence developed by religious and ethnic exclusivism. Reading the paper in advance is required for attendance. Email cura@bu.edu for a copy. Co-sponsored with the School of Theology