Q&A: Hyung Joon Won, activist and musician

Hyung Joon Won is a South Korean musician and activist for the reunification of North Korea and South Korea who had recently given a talk and a violin performance at aconference hosted by Princeton for North Korean Human Rights. Over the weekend, Won spoke withThe Daily Princetonian about his plan and personal motivation for creating an orchestra with musicians from both North Korea and South Korea.

The Daily Princetonian: Can you describe your vision for using music to promote North and South Korean reunification?

Hyung Joon Won: In my view, through music, we can communicate and make harmony. Our nations have been divided for more than 70 years because of a lack of communication. The political situation is not good, and we both [North and South Korea] have national securities that prohibit civilians to contact one another unless we [civilians] get permission from both Korean governments. With this situation, it is very hard to do something between the two Koreas. However, through music, we [Koreans] can communicate and make harmony. This is why I have been promoting my project in which musicians from both Koreas can play together.

DP:What is it about music that you think will have such a profound impact in bringing people together?

HJW:For music, we don’t need to talk. What’s amazing about orchestra is that with a variety of different instruments and sounds, you are able to to produce a harmony. This is because the musicians listen to one another. While the U.N. and the South Korean government imposing sanctions on the North Korean government, North Korea is testing nuclear weapons.Real communication is not happening and I hope politicians realize this.

DP: What was your personal motivation for starting this project?

I am part of a separated family. My great-grandmother’s tomb is still in North Korea, and I can never visit her tomb. That was my family motivation. Secondly, there’s a conductor whose name is Maestro Daniel Barenboim who founded an orchestra that is made of young Palestinian and Israeli musicians. I was really astonished and I admired what he did to bring together people from two conflicting nations.

DP:Given the political difficulties of making this project happen, what are your plans for overcoming the obstacles?

HJW:From my eight years of experience working on this project, I have some achievements. For example, in 2011, it was the North Korean government that approved the project. They invited South Korean musicians to do this joint orchestra performance in Pyongyang, North Korea. Unfortunately, however, it didn’t happen because of political tensions between the two nations at the time. In 2014, with the support from the German government, we tried to make a joint orchestra project happen in Germany. The South Korean government approved, but this time the North Korean government denied. Because of political obstacles, my plan is to continue giving lectures and performances at universities like Princeton to gather international support– not only support from both Korean governments but also international support. We are the only nations in the world that are divided. It’s a pity that, unlike West and East Germany where people were able to communicate and travel between the two nations, it is impossible for communication to happen between North and South Koreans. I am trying to let the world recognize the difficulty of communication between the two Koreas. Music is not harmful to either government, so I hope that support from international organizations or foundations would help make my project possible. I hope that through this project, our governments can open dialogue and address important issues.

DP: Looking into the future, are you optimistic that your project will succeed?

HJW: After eight years of working on this project, I discovered that the only way to realize this joint orchestral project is not only to get political support from the two Korean governments, but also to get support from the international community. Whether it be in a university, a museum, or even the street, more people need to know about this project. There’s a tremendous ideological gap between the two Koreas, and I believe that uniting Koreans through music can serve as the first step toward reunification.