The administrative area of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division has expanded. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, which were previously part of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, and Nepal, which was part of the Southern Asia Division, have now been added into the territory of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division.
The Executive Committee of the General Conference during the 2023 Annual Council voted this proposal at a business session held on the 8th of October at 5:00 PM US Eastern Time. This proposal was put forward by the GC Asia-Pacific Territorial Review Survey Commission.
As a result, the Northern Asia-Pacific Division will now be in charge of nine countries, including the existing five countries: South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mongolia, and North Korea, in addition to these four newly added countries.
NSD President, Yohan Kim expressed his sincere gratitude to the world church leaders who have helped make this dream come true over the past few years. He emphasized, “Service and ministry in the new region will be effective only when we rely on God together.” Kim further stated, “I am confident that we can achieve great and significant things if we move forward together under the banner of ‘mission first’ and are filled with the Holy Spirit. In the future, in this new region, the fervent prayers and cooperation of the church leaders and members will be needed to quickly spread the gospel of hope.”
The Northern Asia-Pacific Division has been in communication with the General Conference leaders for this endeavor. Especially since Chinese Union Mission became directly attached to the General Conference in 2019, discussions with the General Conference have been ongoing to address new challenges. In the spring of last year, the proposal for adjusting the NSD territory was presented to the General Conference. The General Conference formed an Asia-Pacific Territorial Review Survey Commission (APTRC) to explore the feasibility and conducted a survey. The APTRC recommended the result of their commission to the GC ADCOM to attach these four new countries to the NSD.
NSD Communication Director SeongJun Byun explained the background, saying, “This expansion into a larger region is the result of a vision, and it has been discussed with the World church leaders over an extended period, resulting in the addition of these four countries.” He added, “To accomplish this, on June 30th, the NSD Executive Committee voted a relevant agenda. It was a procedure requesting the GC APTRC to present a proposal to the General Conference Administrative Committee for the inclusion of these four countries in the Northern Asia-Pacific Division.”
Byun continued, “Based on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, where it says, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you,” NSD’s motto has been ‘mission first.'” In fact, the NSD has been working with the vision of mission work in China since the time when the Asia-Pacific Division was split into Southern and Northern Asia-Pacific Divisions. However, the separation of Chinese Union Mission from the NSD necessitated changes in the core missionary strategy, and they have been working on related strategies with the new goal of expanding their administrative territories.
The NSD president expressed on the meaning of the expansion of its administrative territory, saying, “With the expansion, we now have greater challenges and opportunities.” He continued to emphasize, “These challenges can only be achieved through the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, as well as the fervent prayers and helping hands of the church leaders and members,” and called for active interest and cooperation.