The Korea Times
Many foreign nationals have devoted themselves to the development of modern democracy in Korea. One notable figure is the Rev. Pharis J. Harvey. Following a visit to the U.S. State Department decades ago, I paid a courtesy call to Harvey in Washington, D.C., where he was serving as the executive director of the North American Coalition for Human Rights in Korea. The meeting was arranged by a colleague of mine who had served as a U.S. State Department official. During my visit, I presented him with an English translation of a guidebook on Donghak (Cheondogyo, Korea’s native religion) that I had authored. He showed a profound interest in the egalitarian philosophy of Donghak, whose values transcend religious affiliation. This egalitarian thought served as a vital intellectual foundation for the development of modern democracy in Korea, mirroring the country's democratization process at the time. Harvey, a Methodist minister and passionate advocate for Korean democracy, was expelled from Korea in the 1970s for opposing the military dictatorship. Yet even from afar, his dedication remaine
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