Division Trauma and Forgiveness

The primary goal of this thesis is to critically review studies that try to understand the historical experience of the division of the Korean peninsula and its development through trauma theory. It is judged that their study has a challenging aspect to the already known trauma research, but also has limitations and problems at the same time. Efforts to understand division in Korea have been developed in various academic fields. Therefore, this study, first of all, focuses on clarifying the differences between division trauma research and past division studies. To that end, this study will review the necessity of research on division trauma, which trauma researchers say, and identify the characteristics of understanding division violence they have, and also examine the characteristics of division trauma. In addition, this study will critically analyze the direction of healing from division trauma, which they prospect. The prospects for integrated narratives that overcome the narratives of division and the prospects for the restoration of national commonality will be the main targets of criticism. Finally, while comparing and crossing the understanding of forgiveness in the Bible and the prospects for healing by division trauma researchers, I will look for a direction in which division trauma research can be further deepened and expanded. Although it does not present a sufficient theological analysis, this study is part of a longer one to find the interface between Korea’s Minjung theology or peace theology and the study of division trauma.