황장엽의 ‘통일한국’ 구상에 대한 기독교적 응답

Abstract

The present essay is a Christian response to noted North Korean defector Hwang Jang-yeob’s blueprint for a Unified Korea, a blueprint based on his human-centric Juche Idea. Even after defecting to South Korea, Hwang claims that his Juche Idea is a humanistic, socially revolutionary idea that has overcome the limitations of Marxist ideology of the Proletariat dictatorship and class struggle, not to mention the absolutist regime of Kim Jong-il. The standard against which Hwang criticizes the North Korean system, which revolves around Kim Jong-il, is his own Juche Idea. To first grasp the framework of Hwang’s Juche Idea, what is first needed is an overview of the themes that run through the major works published after his defection to South Korean. This paper will cover the following: Hwang Jang-yeob's criticisms of the North Korean system, Hwang Jang-yeob's criticisms of the South Korean system, an overview of Hwang Jang-yeob's Juche Idea, Hwang's ideas for a reunified Korea, and a Christian critique of Hwang’s ideas on a reunified Korea. To begin with the conclusion, Hwang Jang-yeob has not been won over ideologically by the South Korean system. He rejects and criticizes both North Korean society and South Korean society equally and calls for a reunified Korea. Yet, even while criticizing an absolute class ideology, a Juche Ideology that has been ossified by an absolute ruler, or the militarism of Kim Jong-il, Hwang stands firm in his own view of history and society, which favors collectivism. Hwang criticizes the one-dimensionality capitalist view, which sees the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc as a victory of capitalism over socialism. Rather, Hwang sees the failures of the Soviet Union and the Eastern bolc of communist states as a prognosis for a future society, beyond the conflict between capitalism and socialism. Hwang Jang-yeob emphasizes the leading role and the responsibilities of South Korean democracy in the creation of a reunified Korea, while simultaneously expressing grave doubts about the South Korean society in its present state. Hwang Jang-yeob’s view of humanity, society and history, and the world are key elements in his concept of a “reunified Korea.” This paper acknowledges that there are aspects of Hwang Jang-yeob’s ideas for a reunified Korea, based on his Juche Idea, which demonstrate potential for a dialogue with Christian ideas. However, this paper argues that Hwang’s ideas on a reunified Korea, which have their basis in his Juche Idea, are ultimately limited by his optimism towards collective human action and rely too heavily on statism. It criticizes Hwang’s Juche idea-based blue print for a unified Korea from the three viewpoints of a Christian eschatology, Christian anthropology and the idea of the Kingdom of God, and Christian creation theology.