Korea “is longing for” the arrival of a “springtime of peace”. For this reason, in the run-up to the upcoming inter-Korean summit on 27 April and the North Korea–United States summit in May, the leaders of the 7 major religions in the country issue an appeal to all stakeholders that “the Korean Peninsula, once a battleground for superpowers, may be transformed into a land of peace and dialogue”. This is according to a statement from the Korean Conference of Religions for Peace (KCRP) which was sent by its president, Mgr. Kim Hee-joong, Archbishop of Gwangju and president of the Korean Bishops, to SIR news agency today. “From the 2018 Winter Olympics – the statement reads – we have seen positive signs of peace in the region, which we hope will blossom like flowers in spring. The upcoming inter-Korean summit on 27 April and the Summit between North Korea and the United States scheduled for May will be remembered as a major watershed in the history of mankind”. The religious leaders recall that the last barrier left by the Cold War is that which divides North and South Korea. And they go on to write: “Once this last barrier is dissolved by the heat of dialogue and mutual understanding, the time will soon come when all people across the world will be inspired to make every effort to learn to live together”. The religious leaders address both the South Korean and North Korean governments. “We call upon our government to fulfil its obligations, not only as a mediator but as a state directly involved in the issue. We urge the North Korean government to take advantage of this perfect opportunity to end the division and break the chains that have bound and limited this land for over seventy years. We do hope that North Korea will pave the way for allowing the Korean peoples to live together”. Then an appeal to all actors involved in the rapprochement process between the two Koreas. “We call upon the US government to support the efforts of North and South Korea and to actively engage in the summit with North Korea as a cornerstone for global peace. The United States is a key country for bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula. We call upon the Chinese, Russian and Japanese governments to support the forthcoming summits in April and May and all future initiatives for peace, so that the Korean Peninsula, once a battleground for superpowers, may be transformed into a land of peace and dialogue”. The Korean Conference of Religions for Peace “is longing for the arrival of spring in the Korean Peninsula. Spring will bring peace not only to the Korean peninsula, but also to the whole world and to all mankind. The seven religions in Korea pray with a sincere heart for a springtime of peace”. The Conference was founded in 1986. Besides Mgr. Kim Hee-joong, the statement was also signed by Rev. Lee Hong-jung, Secretary-General of the National Council of Churches in Korea; by Venerable Seol Jeong (Buddhism); by Rev. Han Eun-sook (Won Buddhism); by Kim Young-geun (Confucianism); by Lee Jung-hee (Cheondoism); and by Park Woo-gyun (Association of Korean Native Religions). The KCRP, whose goal is to promote peace and stability on the Korean peninsula through interreligious cooperation, has gained strong support from religious leaders across Asia and beyond. “Peace on the Korean Peninsula is not only our dream, but also our duty”.