The facts are known. In recent days North Korea has inexplicably shelled Yeonpyeong Island, close to the maritime border with South Korea, leading to 4 deaths among military and civilians, and Seoul has in turn responded by firing artillery shells toward the North.

“Life in the streets, seems to run normally, but in reality the country is on the alert,” writes President of the PMU, Mark Fatuzzo, who in these days of tension is in South Korea for a series of meetings and public events. The government employees have been ordered to remain in their offices, political parties have called for permanent  “security committees” and there was a special session of Parliament, during which a strong condemnation was issued for the act of aggression.

Right up till the last moment it seemed that the public events scheduled in Seoul by the Korean PMU would have to be cancelled. But things took a positive turn and it was possible to do everything as planned.

Everything began on November 24th with the National Centre for the PMU which includes parliamentarians among its members, three of whom were present. “It was an important event,” says Fatuzzo, “lasting about three hours with intense dialogue in which everyone participated.” As can be imagined, based on recent events, discussions were centered on trust. Can there actually be some form of concrete fraternity between North and South Korea? How will fraternity be explained using the categories of dialogue, reconciliation, forgiveness, and of overcoming historical and present conflicts? Everyone was confident that this is the road to follow, supported by the awareness that the entire PMU worldwide is living with them these moments of painful suspension. There was also some feasting for the admission of a new young member of the PMU Centre: Emilia Heo who studied International Relations in Geneva and now works in Japan.

November 25th was the day for two other meetings at the headquarters of the Korean parliament. The first, with the Political Forum for Unity, a group for parliamentary research, consisting of some 30 Members of both the majority and opposition parties, and of different religious and cultural orientations – Christians of various denominations, Buddhists, Won-Buddhist, Confucians, Taoists – or without any religious reference.

This was followed by a public seminar entitled “The politics that people like” with 150 people in attendance, including twenty members of the three major parties: The Grand National Party, the ruling United Democratic Party and the Progressive Liberty Party, from the opposition. A strong presence of young people and representatives from the media was also quite significant. Both the introductory statements and the round table discussions supported by three deputies, two academics and a young student, as well as the ensuing debate, gave a view of politics that opened people’s hearts to hope, even in the midst of the current suspension and crisis.

Closing Ceremonies for the first class in the School for Formation in Politics are scheduled for Saturday, the 27th of November.