Filipinos, South Koreans & Kim Jong II

My colleague Stephen Reed made some good and interesting talking points about North Korean leader and dictator Kim Jong II. His thoughts is in response to the report that he launched 2 test nuclear missiles last Tuesday prompting another diplomatic confrontation between North Korea and other world "superpowers."

Reed ask, "Is it ever appropriate to ask for God to remove a true tyrant from the scene?" He noted that even the great Christian theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer agreed "after much spiritual wrestling, that having Hitler gone was the only way to save many other souls."

Korean fever invaded the Philippines in the 1990's. South Korean telenovelas and pop music is very popular (remember F4, Meteor Garden and Sandara Park?). Koreans are also the number one tourists in the Philippines. In addition, it's a fast growing expatriate population in the country. Records show that there are 115,400 Koreans, a 115% jump since 2005 and an estimated 10,000 Kophinos—children of mixed Korean and Filipino descent living in the Philippines.

Knowing that many South Koreans have special ties and have embraced the Philippines as their second home, I wonder how they feel now knowing that the "evil" leader of the country next door to them is just a "button away" from starting a nuclear crisis that will first affect their original homeland?

Let's pray for our Korean brothers and sisters to comfort them during these times and ask the Lord to work in His many mysterious ways, finds a peaceful solution to remove Kim Jong II from power and creating fear among its people and the rest of the world.

(image from cnn.com)