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Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, General Assembly Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church PC(USA), paid a visit on Nov. 2 to the village of Nogeun-ri. PCUSA represents a denomination with some 2.77 million members, providing counsel and suggestions to the US government on policies related to social justice, human rights, and peace. Its prestige is great enough that it has become regular practice for Washington to officially review and announce findings for its suggestions. A minister and human rights advocate in the Washington area, the 58-year-old Nelson has drawn attention as the first African-American to become PCUSA’s de facto leader.

The visit to Nogeun-ri came following a resolution at the 222nd PC(USA) General Assembly on June 25, 2016. At the time, the assembly adopted a “Nogeun-ri resolution,” which the delegation is now implementing. The resolution included apologies to victims of the 1950 Nogeun-ri massacre and their family members and calls on the US government to acknowledge the incident and compensate victims and their families. PC(USA) has been active working toward an investigation and resolution on the massacre, sending a petition to US President Donald Trump and his administration on Sept. 22 urging an official acknowledgement of and apology for the incident and compensation to victims and their family members.

The Nogeun-ri massacre has been a focus of PC(USA)’s for the three years since an investigation was proposed by its sister group, the Pyeongyang Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK). In July 2015, Rev. Edward Kang conducted an on-site survey at Nogeun-ri Peace Park and Ssanggul Bridge and learned facts about the massacre from Nogeun-ri International Peace Foundation director Jeong Gu-do. He subsequently put the Nogeun-ri resolution before PCUSA through the Syracuse presbytery in New York. On June 25 of last year, it was adopted at the 222nd General Assembly.

Nelsen and other members of the PC(USA) delegation appeared somber throughout their visits to the Peace Park and Ssanggul Bridge. Nelson kept his hands evenly together as he listened to Jeong give an explanation of the incident’s circumstances.

In a message in the visitor’s log at the Nogeun-ri Peace Memorial, Nelson expressed condolences for the profound grief caused by the incident and pledged efforts by PC(USA) to investigate the massacre and demand an acknowledgement and apology from the US government.

Nelson’s delegation also visited Ssanggul Bridge, where hundreds of people were killed by US bombing. The members grew solemn as they heard about the US Air Force bombing and refugee situations at the time. Jeong and Yang Hae-chan, director of the Nogeun-ri Family Members’ Association, reenacted the 1950 bombing, pointing to the bullet holes still studding the bridge.

“It’s deeply moving to actually be here at the scene of Nogeun-ri. It’s very shocking to see the situation,” Nelson said.

“We will work to urge the US government to take a role by acknowledging the Nogeun-ri incident and fulfill our mission as a church to see to it that the US does the right thing for the victims and survivors and their family members.”

Yang and other family members of the victims extended a warm greeting to Nelson, the PC(USA) delegation, and ministers from Presbyterian Church of Korea.

“Under the Clinton administration, there was an expression of dismay over the Nogeun-ri massacre, and the US government pledged US$1.19 million to build a memorial tower and US$2.8 million in scholarships for family members, but it later fell through, and all of it was rejected,” Jeong said. (The offer was refused by victims’ groups on the grounds that it was insufficient and did not address the Nogeun-ri victims specifically.)

“There hasn’t even been a proper investigation of the various wartime crimes involving US forces. We thank PC(USA) for protesting the irrational and unjust actions of the US government and taking action to investigate the Nogeun-ri massacre and compensate the victims.

”PC(USA) delegation members also laid flowers at the victims’ memorial tower and held a commemorative tree-planting. Presbyterian World Mission director Rev. Jose Luis Casal said, “As a US citizen, I ask for forgiveness for the irreversible mistakes of the US government and US military. I deeply apologize and ask forgiveness for our cruelty.”

Casal also said he “visited here not simply to apologize for the mistakes of 67 years ago, but also to join all of you in the future. We will work for peace on the Korean Peninsula, and I will pray for everyone.”

The PC(USA) and PCK delegation planted a crape-myrtle tree in Nogeun-ri Peace Park.

“The crape-myrtle blooms for around 100 days in the middle of summer, just as the Nogeun-ri incident occurred in late July 1950,” said Jeong Gu-do. “We planted the tree together to remember that time forever.”

A memorial service was also held under Nelson’s direction.

“The Nogeun-ri massacre is an example of an act that goes against the love emphasized by God,” he said.

“Nogeun-ri is a forgotten war. It is forgotten in the US because it was not a victory, but we must now act to demand repentance from the US government,” he added.

“We will work to ensure that the US government officially acknowledges and apologizes for the Nogeun-ri incident and compensates the victims and their family members.”

The PC(USA) delegation’s visit to Nogeun-ri Peace Park follows a Nov. 1 visit to the War and Women's Human Rights Museum in Seoul. Both were part of a “peace journey” that is scheduled to include a stop at the Cheorwon Borderline Peace School academy in Gangwon Province on Nov. 3.

By Oh Yoon-ju, Cheongju correspondent

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