Nonkilling Korea
Edited by Glenn D. Paige and Chung-Si Ahn, Nonkilling Korea is a collection of scholarly essays and material delivered at the Asia Center/Seoul National University and the Center for Global Nonkilling in Seoul during August 18-19, 2010. The material is written primarily about Korean values and culture, with the purpose of creating a shift in the discourse used to discuss modern Korean history. Whereas most Korean historiography focuses on war, and the political and militaristic aspects of 20th century conflicts surrounding Korea, the authors that contribute to Nonkilling Korea try to reframe history to include spiritual values and ethics. The book does not limit itself to a discussion of Korean history or culture per se, either. The editors cull material from sources that address other nations and cultures in relation to both South and North Korea, including the United States, China, Japan, and Russia. Nonkilling Korea includes an Introduction by Glenn D. Paige, and a Conclusion by both editors, Paige and Ahn. Individual essays that follow include, "Spiritual and Practical Assets of Korean Nonviolence" by Jang-seok Kang; "Nonkilling in North Korean Culture" by Glenn D. Paige; "From Nonkilling to Beloved Community" by Michael N. Nagler and Stephanie N. Van Hook; "Possibilities of a Peaceful Nonkilling China" by Dahua Tang; "Nonkilling in Japanese Culture" by Mitsuo Okamoto and Tamayo Okamoto; "Evolution of the Idea of Nonkilling in Russian Culture" by Tatiana Yakushkina; and "Nonkilling in Russian Culture" by William V. Smirnov.
One of the central premises of Nonkilling Korea, and of all the essays included in the tome, is that killing is not the natural state of being of any human being or human culture. By gathering evidence from multiple cultures, the authors show that the average person living within one of these societies...
This is not to suggest that either the United States or the Soviet Union were necessarily desiring this conflict, because "based on the scattered evidence now available from Soviet archives," Stalin was "wary and reluctant" in his support of the North, and only finally agreed to offer military equipment and advice when it became clear that China would intervene should the Soviet Union fail to offer support (Cumings 144).
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