Cham Bumo Gyeong: Episode 273

Cham Bumo Gyeong
Book 10: Preparing the Ideal Environment Centering on the Providence of the Ocean and Latin America
Chapter 1: Economic Activities to Create the Environment for God’s Ideal
Section 3: Economic Activities in the Early Years, Paragraph 13
Section 4. The Establishment of Companies, Paragraph 04

13  The Korean church has been unable to adequately assist and aid foreign countries. I am asking you to push forward until we are able to provide sufficient assistance to foreign countries. I faced relentless opposition in making these factories, but all this time I was thinking ahead. We must draw the first and second lines of defense, and set up a strong self-sufficient foundation. We learned about God's heart by shedding tears, sweat and blood. Now we must build an economic foundation. We need a global economic foundation in order to restore the world. That is why I am working to develop industries.

14  When we established Tongil Industries at Cheongpa-dong, we began in a house that had been built by the Japanese during the occupation. It was a shed that was about half a pyeong (1.65 square meters) in size, behind a house where they stored charcoal briquettes. We did not have a lathe, so we bought an old one that had been used by the Japanese. We paid 720,000 won, before the currency reform. At the time I said, "This machine will increase our output to 7,000 and even 70,000 units, enabling us to grow at the same pace with others in the military and automotive industry in the Republic of Korea. So, have faith!" Do you think people believed me at that time? Many people probably thought I was an unrealistic dreamer when I said those things.

15  When the automotive industry first emerged in Korea, Tongil Industries made a great contribution. With access to the latest technology, we laid the foundation for the reindustrialization of Korea to move forward. At that time, I believed the only way to do this was for Tongil Industries to produce unique products. Becoming famous in Korea was not that difficult. What you needed was a patented product. You had to do the research and development to make something the nation needed. That does not mean you could jump into the machine industry without preparation. That is why we made air rifles. Many of my ideas were incorporated into the development of those air rifles.

16  When there was a machinery exhibition in Japan, we displayed the production line system we developed at Tongil Industries. When it came to computer chips, the Japanese were proud of FANUC, which they consider to be the top manufacturer. The president of that company came to our exhibit and was shocked. He had thought that Tongil Industries was nothing, but he realized that it was bound to become a major competitor for his company. We also had four factories in Germany at that time. The lathes we used at these four factories were state of the art in their class. There are battleships and aircraft carriers that have screw axles 50 meters in length, and boats weighing thousands of tons. Not just any factory can manufacture these. We made these, and also many automotive parts. It was because of Tongil Industries that the automotive industry in Korea could become what it is today. The Korean automobile companies use Tongil Industries products. 

17  We have to gain experience in the machine tool industry and I am working hard to do just that. I visited factories in Germany, France, the United Kingdom and other nations. I also went to Japan and even the United States. Why are we in the machine tool industry, the most difficult industry? The answer is simple: it is so that we can quickly go multinational. When we accomplish this, we can become world-class champions in all fields. I am challenging you to do this in a short time, rather than to take a long time to do it. Tongil Industries has reached the stage where it can automate its entire production line.

18  After I established Tongil Industries at Sutaek-ri, I often had to go back and forth over the hill at Manguri three times in a single day to get there from Seoul. Going there twice a day was commonplace, and I would always go at least once a day. Do you know why? I had to offer acts of devotion to embrace and guide the global industrial networks. I believed that I had to offer devotion with my blood and tears,which could touch heaven and the hearts of the people of the industrial world who had gone to the spirit world, so that they could inspire their counterparts on earth. Only by doing so would what they accomplished become part of heaven's possession. That is why I have offered so many acts of devotion. I also tried to go to Cheong-pyeong every day when I could. This was also to offer devotion. To become the top leader of the world, you have to become an owner in all respects. When things were difficult, I never said that I would not go. I did this for decades, all by myself. That is why heaven gives me blessings. Satan cannot accuse me about this.

19  The workers in the factories at Tongil Industries might think, "Why does Father come to the factory every day when he should be busy with other things?" That is not the way to think. You might think there is not much of a difference between what you saw last night and what you saw this morning. However,when I see some development today as compared to yesterday, I am inspired. Even if you are making the same machine, if you look for even one thing to improve, compared to the day before, and you actually find it, it is exciting. This is where we are going to hoist our flag, and then we can sing praises in God's presence and establish a condition. I have to come and check things until we reach a certain standard. If we move forward in this way, when something arises that could hinder our plans, it will disappear. Some incident will take place that opens a path for us. That path will open or close depending on whether or not you work together. None of you understand the path I am taking. It may seem as if I am taking a risk, but later everything will be achieved.

20  The reason I offer these acts of devotion is not simply for the sake of this one factory in Sutaek-ri. I have been praying to connect the fate of the Republic of Korea and the fortune of the world to this place. Once the products manufactured in our factory become essential to this industry, and we enter into contracts with the nation and begin production, my responsibility is finished. My wish is to make our business the most important business in Korea. Once it finds its place, our business will grow rapidly.

21  I am struggling fiercely for this nation. I live for the sake of this nation. I am investing my family and relatives, asking them to sacrifice. To this day, I have taken on debt and worked for the sake of the future of the Republic of Korea. I had to go through all manner of humiliation from 1980 to 1985 in order to introduce Germany's science and technology to this nation. In this way I brought cutting-edge resources from the world to Tongil Industries and paved the way for this nation to move into the future. I had to suffer many hardships in order to do this. A scholar who learned of this said, "The advancements that we see today in Korea's automobile industry were made possible because of Reverend Moon's great contribution through Tongil Industries."

Section 4. The Establishment of Companies

llhwa Co., Ltd.

To build an economic foundation, True Parents established numerous companies at home and abroad. One such company was llhwa Co., Ltd. established in December 1971. llhwa has developed and distributed products made from ginseng for the health of people around the world. When the construction of the llhwa building was completed in August 1973 in Sutaek-ri, Gyeonggi Province, True Father wrote in calligraphy, "Doing one's best sincerely and with one's whole heart," for the new company. llhwa has developed and expanded, and now sells a variety of products, including the barley-based drink McCol and Chojung mineral water from its food division, Korean ginseng tea, Korean ginseng extract, and Ginseng-Up from its ginseng division, and Samjeongton (an energy tonic) and Woohwang Cheongshimhwan (a natural medicine for the relief of anxiety) from its pharmaceutical division.

1  We can take pride in having built a factory that manufactures ginseng products that are not otherwise found in domestic or foreign markets. Under the banner of llhwa we have launched a new field of ginseng products. I believe that the future is bright. Tongil Industries has been building up its foundation in Sutaek-ri for some years now. llhwa Co. Ltd. is more important than even Tongil Industries. I believe it will be an indispensable foundation for our efforts to resolve global economic problems. So the question is how we are going to market these products globally. All our overseas members should join forces and concentrate on sales. We are devoting ourselves to this company in the hope that it will provide economic resources to support the Unification Church in its course of development. 

2  Ginseng is a special product of Korea. Of all the things in the creation around us, ginseng is the most precious. Ginseng can be called the prince of the plant kingdom. It goes without saying that the place ginseng holds is parallel to that of Unification Thought. Ginseng is this nation's special product and pride. Yet, are we doing justice to ginseng? I believe the answer is no. If heaven gave us ginseng, it surely was not solely for the benefit of the Korean people. God wants ginseng to benefit the people of the world. The world appreciates the fact that the Korean people live where ginseng grows naturally. Therefore, while Koreans need to recognize the value of ginseng, they also should not selfishly keep it only for the sake of Korea. Koreans should provide ginseng to the people of the world. We as human beings need to love and appreciate each other's value.

3  No matter how nice a factory's appearance or how good its equipment, the main contributor to excellence in this environment is exceptional personnel. No one achieves anything alone. The entire llhwa group must work together to form a unified system in which each individual strives to attain new heights. If each person takes responsibility to move up himself and help those around him to do so, the right hand and left hand, the head and the body will all be elevated as a result. The nation will come to acknowledge llhwa, and llhwa will distinguish itself in Asia and around the world. The people from the llhwa group must take great pride in McCol. "Me" here (in Korean) means soul. The name signifies that it is a beverage that can move heavenly fortune.

4  McCol is a health drink. I made McCol to promote the health of the people of this nation. In the future, I plan to sell McCol throughout the world. There is a foundation in the Republic of Korea that will put us right on target to supply McCol and other Ilhwa products to every nation. The special value of McCol now remains dormant. It has not yet risen from its slumber. We have been given the responsibility to elevate it to become a beverage that liberates all people. We must awaken the vast economic vitality that lies hidden in our lives.