Come Back to Your Family as Soon as Possible

Citizens, netizens and citizens’ organizations prayed together for Kim Sun-il (age 34), who was kidnapped in Iraq and whose fate is unknown yet, to return alive on June 22.

--Responses of citizens

In most train stations, airports, and bus terminals, a lot of citizens stood in front of televisions paying attention to the prompt reports on the matter of Kim’s kidnapping in Iraq.

Kim Young-jun (age 33, an office worker) from Seoul station said, “Euro 2004 was the talk of the town for a while, but there is no one speaking of the soccer match from yesterday” adding, “the time limit set by the Iraqi insurgents have already passed. My only hope is his safety.”

In a telephone interview, poet Kim Ji-ha (age 63), who is also engaged in a human life movement, said, “Every single citizen hopes for Kim’s early release. The government should cope with this situation rapidly and masterfully.”

Novelist Lee Moon-yul (age 56) also said, “First of all, I pray for Kim’s safe return,” and added, “There shouldn’t be enlarged reproductions of needless sentiment between Korea and Iraq because of this accident.”

--Responses of netizens

National web portals were filled with writings concerning Kim’s safety. Posts saying, “let’s pray together with ‘1004’ in the reply” were posted on some web sites (‘1004’ sounds the same as ‘angel’ in Korean pronunciation) followed by numberless “1004” replies.

Also, the bulletin board system of the official homepage of the Al Jazeera TV (aljazeera.net) was shut down because of a barrage of posts from Korean netizens. A British publishing company was troubled because some Korean web portals confusedly introduced its homepage (aljazeera.com) as the broadcasting company’s homepage.

--Activities of citizens’ organizations

The “People’s Emergency Act for the Opposition to the Dispatch of Troops to Iraq” held a press conference for two days continuously in front of Cheong Wa Dae. They said, “we are asking to meet and talk with the president to demand a decision to end the hostility that may grow between Korea and Iraq because of the dispatch of troops.”

The “Iraq Peace Network” prayed for Kim’s safe return and peace in Iraq while opening an e-mail from Takahashi Genkichi, who is engaged in the Japanese peace movement, to the public. Takahashi, who played a conspicuous part in the incident when Iraqi insurgents kidnapped three Japanese, sent a letter saying, “Japanese citizens’ organizations will help with anything needed for Kim’s release.” On the other hand, the religious organization “Pioneers” opened an overnight prayer meeting from the afternoon of June 21 to the morning of June 22 in the Church of Love located in Jongno-gu to pray for Kim’s release.

--Muslims are also speaking out with one voice

Muslims from the mosque in Hannam-dong Yongsan-gu Seoul resented Kim’s being kidnapped saying “this shouldn’t have happened,” and prayed for his safety.

Rasheed (age 30, Bangladesh), who has been working in Korea for two years, was worried saying, “A true Muslim should not do such a thing. I am worried that this incident will make relations between Koreans and Muslims awkward.”

However, it could be seen plainly on their faces that they took precautions against possible accidents. Professor Choi Jin-young from the Institute of Middle-East Studies in Hankuk University of Foreign Studies said, “Just in case, I asked my acquaintances from Iraq that they should refrain from going outside if at all possible.”

The alumni association of the Arabic Language department in Hankuk University of Foreign Studies sent “appeal letters for the safe return of alumnus Kim Sun-il” to Cheong Wa Dae and each governmental organization on June 22.

Um Tae-yong (age 23), the president of the student association of the Arabic Language department, said, “we will announce a declaration in Arabic, along with all the Arabic Language departments from other universities,” adding, “the gist will be charging the insurgents who kidnapped Kim with their moral responsibility and requesting his safe return for world peace.”

Reporter Jung Yang-hwan, ray@donga.com