On April 19, a former Pendle Hill Resident Program student became the first female Prime Minister of South Korea. Han Myung-sook, who lived and studied at Pendle Hill in 1998-99, was nominated in March by Korean President Roh Moo-hyun. Her nomination was approved by the National Assembly with 182 votes of the total 264 votes cast.

Han Myung-sook came to Pendle Hill with her husband Park Sung-jun (known to Pendle Hill as Joon Park). They both valued the daily meeting for worship. Han studied Quakerism at Pendle Hill and apparently was impressed with Quaker pacifism and simplicity.

While Joon Park continued as a resident student in 1999-2000 and joined Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting in 2000, Han Myung-sook returned to South Korea. She was elected to the National Assembly in 2000 and again in 2004. In 2001 she was named the first Minister of Gender Equality. In 2003-4 she served as Minister of the Environment.

Han Myung-sook and Joon Park married in 1967, when South Korea was under military dictatorship. After six months of marriage Joon Park was arrested for his pro-democracy activism and spent the next 13 years in prison. Han Myung-sook was also jailed from 1979 to 1981. Both were tortured in prison.

After they were released from prison in 1981 Han Myung-sook became deeply involved in women’s rights work in Korea. In 1998 she was awarded the National Medal of Honor by Korean President Kim Dae Jung.

From the emails received by Steve Jackson and Nancy Morgan at Pendle Hill, it appears that Han Myung-sook is grateful for the time she and her family spent at Pendle Hill. We hope to welcome them back sometime.

[For more information, visit www.fwccawps.org, the newsletter of the Asia-Pacific section of the Friends World Committee for Consultation.]