“Religious oppression must never happen in our country. I sincerely ask the government and relevant authorities to ensure that such things never occur.”
Lee Man-hee, the chairman of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus (Shincheonji), made these remarks on October 30, during a graduation ceremony held at the Shincheonji Cheongju Church, after the event originally scheduled at Imjingak Peace Nuri was abruptly canceled by the venue.
Lee stated, “Our country, which was once poor and struggling, has endured much hardship and suffering. But now, we are a prosperous nation. Wouldn’t it be even better if our nation became one that is recognized by God?” He continued, “Therefore, I ask for everyone’s help in making our country one of love, without division, where we can all live together in peace.”
Originally, the Zion Christian Mission Center (led by General Director Tan Young-jin) of Shincheonji Church, in partnership with the Federation of Buddhist Organizations for National Unification, had planned to hold a ‘Religious Leader Forum and Graduation Ceremony’ at Imjingak Peace Nuri.
However, despite foreign dignitaries and graduates already having arrived, and over 20 billion KRW spent on event preparations, a sudden decision on the 29th to cancel the booking was made without prior communication or consultation.
The background to this decision is thought to involve other religious groups who oppose and persecute Shincheonji Church due to its rapid growth, as well as the influence of the political sphere.
In response, Chairman Lee emphasized during a meeting with reporters, “Separation of politics and religion is clearly stated in our country’s Constitution.” He added, “Even those in power should not disregard the law.”
A Shincheonji Church representative commented, “The unilateral cancellation by the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization is extremely disappointing,” and stated, “If administrative and public institutions made such a decision based on religious bias, it would be an unconstitutional act.”
The representative also said, “Although we feel wronged, we proceeded with the graduation ceremony at another venue for the overseas members and domestic and international religious leaders who came to Korea for the event.” They added, “The losses incurred by Shincheonji Church due to this incident are incalculable, and we are considering legal action.”