(Stuttgart/Berlin) Paul Schneiss and Lutz Drescher from the German East Asia Mission were honoured with this year's Mirok Li Award conferred on them by the German-Korean Society for their life's work. The award ceremony took place online on 15 October 2021 in a festive setting with over 80 participants.

"Today we honour two missionaries who stand for political courage and cultural openness. Through their activities, they have given their own personal touch to the history of German-Korean relations. Their belief in a connection between 'resistance, uprising and resurrection' reminds us today to stand up for peace, democracy as well as cultural and religious diversity both in everyday life and on a personal level," emphasised Prof. Dr LEE You Jae from the Chair of Korean Studies at the University of Tübingen in his eulogy.

Dr Uwe Schmelter, President of the German-Korean Society (DKG), referred in his speech to the significance of the Mirok Li Award, the only German-Korean award of its kind to date. Both award winners received the prize for their outstanding achievements in promoting cultural exchange and cultural relations between Germany and Korea over the past decades. 

The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Dr CHO Hyun Ock, expressed great pleasure at the selection of the prize-winners and, together with Dr Uwe Schmelter, presented the DKG award certificates on camera.

"We were completely bowled over when we heard the news in August that we would be receiving the Mirok Li Award," said Lutz Drescher in his acceptance speech, which he also gave on behalf of his colleague and friend, Rev. Paul Schneiss, who had fallen ill. Both have worked for a long time as ecumenical co-workers in East Asia, are former chairpersons and current honorary chairpersons of the DOAM. "But we stand here above all as representatives of all those who have worked throughout the decades for democracy and human rights in South Korea and later stood up for reconciliation and peace on the Korean peninsula."

Both prize-winners have intensively addressed the tradition of the “Bekennende Kirche” (Confessing Church) in Germany and its resistance to fascism. In Drescher’s opinion, the very existence of this tradition of resistance based on faith was the reason for the Korean friends to establish relations with churches in Germany in the early 1970s.

Paul Schneiss and Lutz Drescher are well aware that the concept of mission is sometimes controversial and emphasise: "For us at the DOAM, mission has primarily to do with encountering the other with an attitude of radical openness and deep respect. It is about discovering the traces of God who is always a step ahead of us. As early as 1884, the founders of the East Asia Mission went so far as to speak of discovering the truth of God in other religions as well. We’re very moved by the fact that it’s not only the two of us but also the work of the East Asia Mission that is being honoured.” Lutz Drescher was often asked in Korea why he had come and his answer was always: "I came because I want to learn from you."

Carola Hoffmann-Richter, current chairperson of the DOAM, is delighted along with the award winners. "I heartily congratulate our two honorary chairpersons on receiving the DKG Mirok Li Award.  I am very happy about this special honour, which gives them tremendous and highly deserved recognition for their tireless work over many years! I also see this appreciation as an incentive for us as DOAM not to let up in our contribution to building bridges in and between East Asia and Germany".

The Mirok Li Award, which has been presented alternately by the German-Korean and Korean-German Societies since 1999, honours personalities who have rendered outstanding services to cultural exchange between Germany and Korea. Mirok Li (1899-1950) embodies Korean identity and a spirit of resistance against oppression. He took part in the nationwide uprising against the Japanese colonial power in March 1919 and had to leave the country to avoid arrest. He lived in exile in Germany from 1920 until his death and had a major influence on German-Korean cultural relations as a scholar and writer.

The German East Asia Mission (DOAM) is supported by members of the association and friends of mission work in Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan. It is a founding member of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS) and the Berliner Missionswerk. DOAM is active throughout Germany and has its head offices at the EMS Secretariat in Stuttgart. Further information: www.doam.de

Information on DOAM: Lutz Drescher, mailto@dont-want-spam.lutz-drescher.de , Tel. +49 178 2324 789

Press contact: Dr. Dieter Heidtmann, heidtmann@dont-want-spam.ems-online.org, Tel. +49 711 6367821