The meeting took place during the 2026 International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, held in Seoul from 9-13 September and jointly organized by the WCC, Christian Conference of Asia, and National Council of Churches in Korea (NCCK).
Pillay was joined by Peter Prove, director of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs; Rev. Jung Eun Grace Moon, general secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia; Rev. Park Seung Ryoul, general secretary of the NCCK; the Hon. Melissa Parke, executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons; and other ecumenical partners.
Discussions focused particularly on the current absence of effective channels for inter-Korean dialogue and on the potential role of churches in creating spaces where contact and trust might gradually be rebuilt.
Pillay emphasized the WCC's longstanding commitment to peace on the Korean Peninsula and its close cooperation with the NCCK and churches in the region. He recalled the significance of the 1986 Glion consultation, when Christians from North and South Korea met through the WCC, noting that its 40th anniversary offers both a reminder of what has been possible and an encouragement not to abandon dialogue in the present difficult circumstances.
"We will not give up our efforts for peace and reconciliation," Pillay said.
Rather than beginning with politically difficult questions of reconciliation or reunification, Pillay suggested that renewed engagement might first be built around practical areas of common concern, including climate change, humanitarian and social needs, and other forms of diaconal cooperation.
Prime Minister Han welcomed this gradual approach, stressing that dialogue cannot simply be restored by declaring reconciliation as an immediate goal. Beginning instead with practical issues affecting people's daily lives could provide a more realistic first step toward rebuilding contact and confidence.
The meeting also considered the WCC's continuing relationship with the Korean Christian Federation (KCF) in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Prove noted that the WCC had recently received a message from the KCF marking the WCC's 78th anniversary and expressing a desire to maintain good relations and solidarity.
WCC representatives described the communication as a modest but encouraging sign that opportunities for renewed engagement may still exist. The WCC intends to continue exploring possibilities for direct contact and for initiatives that could bring Christians from North and South into renewed fellowship.
Reflecting on conversations during the peace convocation in Seoul, Pillay said that rebuilding relationships may require beginning again with simple encounters rather than immediately addressing the most difficult political questions.
"Sometimes you've got to go back to move forward again," he said, pointing to the simple act of Christians meeting, sharing fellowship, and breaking bread together as a possible starting point for deeper dialogue.
Prime Minister Han expressed appreciation for the historic contribution of Korean churches and the WCC to Korean society and encouraged the ecumenical community to continue playing a constructive role in promoting peace.
The meeting underscored a shared conviction that, even amid the current impasse in inter-Korean relations, patient engagement through churches, civil society, and practical cooperation can help keep channels of encounter open and sustain hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Originally from the World Council of Churches
CCD reprinted with permission
