GOSHEN, Indiana, USA \u2014 When 27-year-old SangMin Lee, a Mennonite conscientious objector from South Korea, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, the global Mennonite church community provided support in the form of letters and prayers. In early December 2015, Lee spoke with supporters at the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism and Goshen College and at College Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana, USA.<\/p>\n
Lee, who was released from prison in July, said being a conscientious objector in South Korea helped him to understand and practice peace \u201cin a more concrete and tangible way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lee spoke in Korean, with translation by Goshen resident SeongHan Kim.<\/p>\n
After growing up in a Christian home and attending a Christian college, Lee came across conscientious objection in an article in 2007.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe article talked about how God so loved the world,\u201d said Lee, \u201cbut then I asked myself, \u2018How can we care for each other in the name of God?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cI began to ask myself, \u2018Can I kill someone?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cIn South Korea, it\u2019s military or prison,\u201d says Lee. The only alternative service option requires weeks of military training and service in the reserves.<\/p>\n
Some 660 conscientious objectors\u2013 nearly 93 percent of imprisoned COs worldwide \u2013 are jailed each year in South Korea.<\/p>\n
It took seven years for Lee to go through the conviction process after refusing military service. He needed Christian support to continue in his struggle, so in 2009, Lee transferred to Grace and Peace Mennonite Church, Seoul, South Korea, who eventually reached out to the global community for support.<\/p>\n
MWC Commission members John D. Roth (Faith & Life) and Jenny Neme (Peace), directors of the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism (which runs the Bearing Witness Stories Project) and Justapaz (a Colombian Mennonite peace and human rights organization), respectively, organized a letter-writing campaign.<\/p>\n
In the months leading up to his trial, Mennonite World Conference circulated Lee\u2019s story, and letters came rushing in.<\/p>\n
The letters that meant the most to Lee were the ones sent to him through Justapaz from conscientious objectors in Colombia.<\/p>\n
\u201cReceiving their support and encouragement was very moving,\u201d Lee said.<\/p>\n
A \u2018simple answer\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n On 30 July 2015, Lee was released three months earlier than planned. However, his prison conviction has closed off professional pathways. Lee studied childhood education but will not be able to find work as a teacher. He hopes to find work as a mechanic at a bike shop in Seoul.<\/p>\n \u201cThe relationship with my parents has been the most difficult,\u201d?Lee said. \u201cIn Korean culture, the relationship between kids and parents is very strong. My parents expressed anger and harsh words at first, but they have come to better understand and appreciate my view on what it means to follow Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m trying to live a normal life, find a more simple answer to how to live,\u201d he said. \u201cI try to be thankful for every day and make each day as important as the last.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014by <\/em>Madeline Birky, originally published in the Mennonite World Review. Used with permission. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" GOSHEN, Indiana, USA \u2014 When 27-year-old SangMin Lee, a Mennonite conscientious objector from South Korea, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, the global Mennonite church community provided support in the form of letters and prayers. In early December 2015, Lee spoke with supporters at the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism and Goshen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":87631,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"network":[178],"eventcategory":[],"class_list":["post-6547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","network-young-anabaptists"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n