Cham Bumo Gyeong: Episode 251

Cham Bumo Gyeong
Book 9: Activities in the Media, Education and the Arts for the Culture of Heart
Chapter 2: World Media Conferences and Media Outlets
Section 4. The Segye Times, Mission and objectives
Section 4. The Segye Times, Paragraph 10

Section 4. The Segye Times

Mission and objectives

On February 1, 1989, True Parents founded the daily newspaper The Segye Times in Seoul. They established it as a conservative newspaper with the motto "Love Heaven, Love People, Love Your Country," and the mission statement, "Discuss the unification of the homeland, promote the national spirit, and realize a moral world." The Segye Times, more than most Korean newspapers, has an international network of correspondents to cover the main regions of the world and has gained respect for its coverage of international news.

1  Many people ask, "Why would a religious leader invest a huge amount of money and take such an interest in media businesses? What is his true motivation?" The answer in a few words is because I know very well that the media has a crucial role in determining if there will be peace or war in the world. The latter half of the 20th century has been an age when we have been virtually ruled by the media. Media power is becoming even greater than military power, with all its nuclear weapons. When the media sparks discussion based on noble and virtuous values, it can become a standard-bearer for world peace. But when the media deceives people with irresponsible, misleading and incendiary information, it becomes a tool for the destruction of world peace.

2  I am from Korea, and I am the founder of the Unification Church which carries out missionary work in 160 nations. The reason that I, as a religious leader, founded The Segye Times daily newspaper in my homeland of Korea is because I know very well that the media can play a vital role in building the ideal we all strive for, a world where all people live in peace and freedom. Moreover, the media is crucial for developing a world where God's ideal of creation is realized, where true love blossoms and where all people prosper.

3  The Segye Times was born and uttered its first cries in this land of Korea. The Segye Times is the symbol of a free media, and we affirm before you that it will become the model of responsible journalism. The Segye Times will shed tears for justice and will be relentless in exposing injustice. The Segye Times will transcend political parties, will not side with any single denomination, but instead will shed blood and sweat for the sake of the people, nation and world. In short, The Segye Times will become the pride of the Korean people and of all people. The Segye Times and The Washington Times will become lofty beacons of truth in the East and the West. They will become lights of freedom and democracy and voices of reason that distinguish clearly between truth and falsehood. The Segye Times is your newspaper. It is your voice and your representative. The Segye Times gives voice to your conscience.

4  The Unification Church strives to move God's providence forward. It yearns to save all humanity. Although we are creating a newspaper, it will not be an organ of the Unification Church. Rather, it will be a publication guided by the Will of God. Think of it as an organ of the historical providence with God's Will at its core, rather than as an organ of our church. Do not have such a church-centered outlook. We must teach people every day, but the Will is global and is not solely bound to the Unification Church. This Will is the Will of God.

5  If you listen to me, The Segye Times will develop rapidly. Journalists have their own concept of how they should be, but that concept is not based on an absolute. The habitual tendencies of journalists are not what you should emulate; they are not absolute. Seek that which is absolute, but not for the sake of knowledge. In the future, in order to develop The Segye Times, what must we do? What is the basic motivation driving our development? We must unite and stand together, from bottom to top. Whose company is this? It is my company. What is the common denominator I share with The Segye Times? The common denominator is a vision of reviving the nation. This company exists for the sake of reviving the nation. Employees here need to be united as patriots working for the sake of the nation. You must do so not only with the nation in your heart, but with all humanity. If you do this, everything will be accomplished.

6  The purpose of establishing The Segye Times, as revealed in the mission statement, is to "discuss the unification of the homeland, promote the national spirit, and realize a moral world." From a national perspective and from the perspective of humanity's cultural history, these are ideals everyone desires. In this way I have worked according to God's Will, which is to establish a peaceful nation and peaceful world.

7  Our church members go from house to house at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning delivering The Segye Times while praying for the unification of Korea. Standing on the front line like that, they are showing a good example to everyone. You should know that criticism toward the newspaper pains me deeply. But look at The Segye Times' mission. The newspaper was not created to make money, and I intend to use it to scold those who make money by unethical means. History's tradition and the path of hope can move forward only after righting these wrongs. Without doing so, our present success will not connect to the future. We have the responsibility to quickly resolve the problems of the world. Taking this on, we seek out the path of life.

8  We need to go beyond The Segye Times. The Republic of Korea's journalists should instill moral values into society. They ought to use moral principles as a sword, with the intention to quickly influence the national spirit of people who yearn for a better future. For a journalist, using the pen for the sake of social justice is more fearful than using a sword, because in a duel with swords, the victor and loser are quickly decided, but this is not so in the case of writing on social issues. Sometimes we cannot judge whether arguments pro and con are right or wrong, even after centuries and millennia pass. Therefore, in your journalism, from start to finish, you should be responsible, serious, precise and trustworthy. Employees of The Segye Times must become serious people, so as to bring together external reporting and internal moral influence.

9  If we want to unite North and South Korea, we need to find people with hidden talents who can help make this happen. It is not easy to publish a newspaper at all, never mind one that represents all the people. But without a newspaper, we cannot unite North and South Korea. Now we hope to publish a monthly magazine to reach each city and province. We are preparing for that. We cannot neglect this nation. I could establish a foundation of this scale only after going through indescribable hardships. I did it because I embrace heavenly principles. This is why I cannot just leave. The Segye Times, which was established as a newspaper to present arguments on North-South unification, has to be distributed to every village you can reach. It is not a newspaper that exists to make money.

10  We have to create an atmosphere through which North and South Korea can unite. You must take The Segye Times newspaper to every corner and every house in Korea. As people who distribute The Segye Times, you deliver the "cosmic daily news." You go out with the daily news of love. You are envoys of the heavenly nation who are building the cozy house of love. This is why I tell you to stay quiet even though people persecute you and slam the door in your face. If you open your mouth and argue, you cannot go back to that person a second time. By staying quiet and investing 100 percent in your mission, the rope of true love will grow thicker and thicker and those people will become like its strands that gather around you. Through doing this, you are helping Korea to become the original homeland that the progenitors of the Korean people failed to realize. Therefore, you should remain quiet and endure, advancing silently. If you do that, you will naturally accomplish the Will.