Korean Buddhists Take to the Streets

By Kim So-hyun

(sophie@heraldm.com)

Tens of thousands of Buddhists took to streets of Seoul yesterday in protest against the alleged religious bias of President Lee Myung-bak and his administration.

The Jogye Order, the country's largest Buddhist sect, said that about 200,000 people, including some 10,000 monks, took part in the largest-ever anti-government rally organized by the religious group. Police put the number at about 60,000.

The protesters demanded that Lee apologize for the government's discrimination against Buddhism.

They also called on the police chief to resign to take responsibility for an invasive inspection last month of a vehicle of the head of the Jogye Order.

The protest began at a plaza in front of City Hall, and was followed by a march through the streets which last several hours. No clashes were reported.

"Government officials' religious discrimination and the president's abetting of it reached a dangerous level that undermines the Constitution and threatens national unity," the organizer said in a statement.

Lee, a senior member of the Somang Presbyterian Church, whose ministry claims a large number of prominent local political figures, drew heavily on the church network when appointing his first Cabinet in February. This triggered uproar from critics who saw the appointments as religiously partial.

The Lee administration's religious preferences were called into question again when the head of the Jogye Order was subjected to a police inspection in late July.

Police officers, patrolling Jogye temple for civic activists suspected of organizing anti-government street protests in May, had stopped Ven. Jigwan's car while it was entering the temple and searched the trunk. The protest organizers have been taking refuge at the temple.

Buddhists hold a rally in Seoul to protest the alleged religious bias of President Lee Myung-bak and his administration. [Lee Sang-sup/The Korea Herald]

The incident enraged the country's Buddhists, who slammed the police for disrespecting the highly revered Buddhist leader. They demanded the resignation of Eo Cheong-soo, chief of the National Police Agency.

Earlier this year, the Lee administration also came under fire after the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs published a traffic information guide that omitted popular Buddhist temples. The book included details on Christian churches.

"We have demanded that President Lee apologize and give his word that he will not let (this kind of discrimination) happen again. But we do not see any tangible signs of progress," said Ven. Wonhak, who led the rally.

The Buddhists were expected to react strongly to Seoul City's disapproval of the mass demonstration at Seoul Plaza.

Based on a city regulation that limits the use of Seoul Plaza to cultural purposes and leisure activities, the metropolitan government refused to approve the protest. The city said it was considering fines for use of the plaza without its permission.

"According to a rule on city property, parties that receive the city's permission to use the Seoul Plaza are required to pay 130,000 won per hour," a city official Kang Hyun-sup said.

"If they use it without permission, the city can impose a fine of 156,000 won per hour."

Those who led the recent candlelight vigils and protests, including Catholic priests and protestant groups, were given fines.

Technically, this means that anyone who wants to protest for an hour at the Seoul Plaza can go ahead, without permission, as long as they are willing to pay 10 won per square meter occupied.

Although paying a fine of 156,000 won each hour wouldn't mean much to the organizers of the massive Buddhist rally, they still expressed their displeasure regarding the city's disapproval.

"We checked with the city government and from what we know, religious events so far have been carried out without procedures to get permission," said a staff member of the Jogye Order.

"So we filed an official request for cooperation. But if the city is fair and balanced in imposing the fines, we will accept it, of course."

A city official explained that permission to use the Seoul Plaza is given only for purely religious purposes, such as to celebrate Buddha's Birthday or Christmas.

"But it is (the city's) principle not to let the plaza be used for religious events at other times," he said. "(The city) informed the Buddhists of its disapproval because their application (to use the plaza) included words like "denouncement," but we will decide on whether to impose the fine or not after discussions with them."