The last several decades have seen us experiencing democratization, rapid industrialization and globalization at the same time. Such a fortune has never been given to any other generations than this in our 5,000 year long recorded history as a civilized nation and even since our ancestors began to settle and form agricultural societies ten thousand years ago Such a great change in the history of civilization requires new philosophies and ways of life that match the change. Five hundred years ago, the globalization process began as the western civilization started to expand its boundary and spread its culture and values. In this process, we have seen clashes and fusions between the eastern and western cultures outside Europe and North America. Among other nations, three countries in the East Asia ? Korea, Japan and China ? have succeeded in achieving democracy and industrialization on the basis of their own spiritual and cultural assets. Korea is a very special case where the Christian religion, which constitutes the core values of the western culture, has met with the Korean and more broadly Asian culture in a profound and creative way. Two distinctive features can be found in the modern and contemporary history of Korea. First, the democratization process has been continuously and vigorously pushed forward from the bottom. Second, the Christian faith has deeply come into the mainstream of the national society and the lives of its people. On the other hand, it is also true that the religious culture in East Asia which has been created and represented by Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism still remains in Korea more clearly and abundantly than any other region.

Korea is in the centre of the historical process where the cultures of East and West meet together in a most profound and abundant way, and it means that we have a mission for the entire people of the world. We have a mission to provide the force and wisdom for peaceful coexistence of the humans. It is a mission to suggest a philosophy and the spirit for promoting the peace of the world. It is our duty to open the road which will lead to the peace and prosperity of the East Asia and further to the peace of the world. However, today’s world does not show us only a bright future. We also see a gloomy and painful side of the future. Today, the capital and the market are playing a central role in the globalization process, and the gap between the rich and the poor is getting larger. It produces so many people who lose their economic viability and suffer. Technology advances in brilliance. On the other hand, the number of jobs available becomes less and homes and families are destroyed. More and more people are becoming poor materially and psychologically. While democratization, industrialization and globalization are opening a new world for mankind, we are also deeply experiencing chaos and despair from them. Now is the time to suggest a new vision for the future of the mankind and to practice love and justice. In this respect, Youngmo Yu and Seokheon Ham deeply understood the historical situation in which the modern and contemporary history of Korea was unfolding, and the mission given to the nation. Based on this understanding, they suggested independent and universal spiritual principles and philosophy that can be adopted worldwide.

They combined Christianity, Greek philosophy, the rationalistic principles of the modern philosophy in the west and the East Asian Taoism within the Han (meaning ‘a Large One’) spirit of Korea, and developed deep a spirit and philosophy honoring democratic ways of life and leading to the peace of the world. We at SSIAL Foundation believe that the SSIAL philosophy of Youngmo Yu and Seokheon Han will create a spirit and culture that will bring life and peace to the world. And so, it becomes the foundation’s mission to widely spread and develop their philosophy.

With this mission,

1. Activities will be carried out to identify the SSIAL philosophy with life and peace. This will include searching, finding and preserving what Youngmo Yu and Seokheon Ham has left, and systematically arranging their philosophy and thoughts

2. Cultural activities will be organized to disseminate Youngmo Yu’s philosophy and Seokheon Ham’s thoughts about world peace. It will contribute to improving the mental culture of Korea and realizing the world peace.

3. Politics and economy are based on culture, and the culture comes from the spirit. The deep spiritual world and the thoughts about life and peace revealed in the philosophy of Youngmo Yu and Seokheon Ham will be studied to create a healthier political and economic culture.

4. Activities will be carried out to deepen and spread liberal but community-concerned life culture and the philosophy for co-living and peace within Korea.