Unification Church

=== Korean unification ===

In 1991, Moon met with [[Kim Il Sung]], the North Korean President, to discuss ways to achieve peace on the [[Korean Peninsula]], as well as on [[international relations]], tourism, and other topics.<ref name="ReferenceF">[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/world/asia/15moon.html At Time of Change for Rev. Moon Church, a Return to Tradition] // The New York Times, 14 October 2009</ref> In 1992, Kim gave his first and only interview with the Western news media to ''Washington Times'' reporter [[Josette Sheeran]], who later became executive director of the [[United Nations World Food Programme]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/11/world/americas/11sheeran.html?pagewanted=all A Desire to Feed the World and Inspire Self-Sufficiency], ''The New York Times'', August 11, 2007</ref> In 1994, Moon was officially invited to Kim's funeral, in spite of the absence of [[diplomatic relations]] between North Korea and South Korea.<ref name="mk 뉴스 — 金장례식에 日여자마술사 초청한 까닭">{{cite web|url=http://news.mk.co.kr/newsRead.php?year=2011&no=822668|title=金장례식에 日여자마술사 초청한 까닭|last=임상균,김규식|website=[[Maeil Business Newspaper]]|date=21 December 2011 |access-date=19 January 2019}}</ref>

In 1998, Unification movement-related businesses launched operations in North Korea with the approval of the government of South Korea, which had prohibited business relationships between North and South before.<ref name="nyt1998">{{cite news | last =Kirk | first =Don | title =Reverend Moon's Group Wants to Talk Investment : Seoul Nods At Church's Foray North| work =[[The New York Times]] | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/02/business/worldbusiness/02iht-unite.t.html | date = May 2, 1998}}</ref> In 2000, the church-associated business group [[Tongil Group]] founded [[Pyeonghwa Motors]] in the North Korean port of [[Nampo]], in cooperation with the North Korean government. It was the first automobile factory in North Korea.<ref name="Kirk">{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/16/business/worldbusiness/16iht-moon.2.t.html | work=[[The New York Times]] | first=Don | last=Kirk | title=Church Reaches Across Border in Korea Car Venture : Moon's Northward Push | date=February 16, 2000}}</ref>

During the presidency of [[George W. Bush]], [[Dong Moon Joo]], a Unification movement member and then president of ''The Washington Times'', undertook unofficial diplomatic missions to North Korea in an effort to improve its relationship with the United States.<ref name="beast2712">[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/02/07/the-bush-administration-s-secret-link-to-north-korea.html The Bush Administration's Secret Link to North Korea], Aram Roston, ''[[The Daily Beast]]'', February 7, 2012</ref> Joo was born in North Korea and is a citizen of the United States.<ref name="yonhap122611">[http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/northkorea/2011/12/26/79/0401000000AEN20111226008351315F.HTML Unification Church president on condolence visit to N. Korea], ''[[Yonhap News]]'', December 26, 2011</ref>

In 2003, Korean Unification Movement members started a [[political party]] in South Korea. It was named The Party for God, Peace, Unification and Home. In its inauguration declaration, the new party said it would focus on preparing for [[Korean reunification]] by educating the public about God and peace.<ref name="iol.co.za" /> Moon was a member of the Honorary Committee of the [[Ministry of Unification|Unification Ministry]] of the Republic of Korea.<ref name="ìžìœ ê²Œì‹œíŒ" /> Church member Jae-jung Lee was a Unification Minister of the [[South Korea|Republic of Korea]].<ref name="News.mk.co.kr" />

In 2010, in Pyongyang, to mark the 20th anniversary of Moon's visit to Kim Il Sung, ''[[de jure]]'' [[List of heads of state of North Korea|head of state]] [[Kim Yong-nam]] hosted Moon's son [[Hyung Jin Moon]], then the president of the Unification Church, in his [[official residence]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://well.hani.co.kr/72907|title=문선명은 김정일 사망 알았나|website=well.hani.co.kr|access-date=19 January 2019}}</ref><ref name="sonofuni">{{cite web |url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-son-of-unification-church-founder-visits-nkorea-2011dec15-story.html |title=Son of Unification Church founder meets with senior North Korean official in Pyongyang |work=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]] |via=[[The Associated Press]] |date=15 December 2011 |access-date=August 6, 2018}}</ref> At that time, Hyung Jin Moon donated 600 tons of flour to the children of [[Jeongju]], the birthplace of Sun Myung Moon.<ref name="english.yonhapnews.co.kr">{{cite web|url=https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20111130005000315|title=S. Korea says food aid reached intended beneficiaries in N. Korea|last=김 |first=광태|date=30 November 2011|website=[[Yonhap News Agency]]|access-date=19 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sports.kbs.co.kr/culture/2011/12/16/2405386.html |title=Kbs News |publisher=Sports.kbs.co.kr |access-date=2012-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130525154632/http://sports.kbs.co.kr/culture/2011/12/16/2405386.html |archive-date=2013-05-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2012, Moon was posthumously awarded North Korea's [[National Reunification Prize]].<ref name="kcna.co.jp">{{citation|title=Moon Sun Myung Awarded National Reunification Prize|url=http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2012/201209/news07/20120907-10ee.html|date=7 September 2012|access-date=13 September 2012|periodical=Korean Central News Agency|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729213236/http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2012/201209/news07/20120907-10ee.html|archive-date=29 July 2014}}</ref> On the first anniversary of Moon's death, [[Chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea|North Korean chairman]] [[Kim Jong Un]] expressed condolences to Han and the family, saying: "Kim Jong-un prayed for the repose of Moon, who worked hard for national concord, prosperity and reunification and world peace."<ref name="globalpost.com">[http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/yonhap-news-agency/130820/n-korean-leader-extends-condolences-over-1-yr-anniversary-un North Korean leader extends condolences over 1 yr anniversary of Unification Church founder death], ''Yonhap News'', August 20, 2013</ref> In 2017, the Unification Church sponsored the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP)—headed by former Prime Minister of [[Nepal]] [[Madhav Kumar Nepal]] and former Minister of Peace and Reconstruction [[Ek Nath Dhakal]]—visited Pyongyang and had constructive talks with the [[Korean Workers' Party]].<ref name="tehrantimes.com">[https://web.archive.org/web/20171114142853/http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/418259/A-Proposal-for-a-joint-mission-to-North-Korea A Proposal for a Joint Mission to North Korea], [[Tehran Times]], 2017-11-6</ref> In 2020 the movement held an in-person and virtual rally for Korean unification which drew about one million attendees.<ref name="ReferenceI" />