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Corruption Scandals Rock Nation's Largest Buddhist Order By Kim
Ki-tae, The Korea Times, April 20, 2005
Seoul, South Korea -- The Chogye Order, the nation?s largest Buddhist
sector, is embroiled in a relay of internal illegalities and
irregularities and is tainting its transcendent image. Experts point out
that the order needs an overhaul as the incidents reflect the
underlining shady practices in the temples around the nation.
Representatives from various Buddhist groups hold a news conference
to make an official statement regarding recent problems and allegations
of corruption faced by the Chogye Order of Korean Buddhism, at Chogye
Temple, Seoul, on April 12. Yonhap
According to recent reports, members of Pulguksa Temple in North
Kyongsang Province, one of the nation?s oldest temples, were found last
week to have run an illegal golf practice range within its compound for
three years. Its head monk is suspected to have gambled abroad and
violated a law on foreign currency exchange. He also allegedly purchased
a yacht. The prosecution is currently inspecting the charges. The monk
admitted last week to his involvement in the golf range, but denied all
of the other charges.
The head monk of Hwaomsa Temple, one of the nation?s largest temples, is
currently wanted by the police for allegedly embezzling 600 million won
($600,000) granted by the central and local governments for repairs to
the temple?s cultural assets.
Last week, a former Buddhist monk was arrested after stealing jewelry
and golf course membership cards thought to be worth hundreds of
millions of won from a Buddhist temple in Seoul. The list of stolen
items was met with surprise by the public as clerics are not supposed to
own private possessions, according to Buddhist beliefs.
In addition, some administrative monks in Seoul are suspected of
colluding with a construction firm to siphon off funds while contracting
it to build a Buddhist history museum. Members of the board of directors
at a Buddhism-related university are also suspected to be involved in
irregular transactions.
Embezzlement and other illegal practices are unfortunately not new to
the nation?s oldest religion. In 1999, there was a 20 billion won ($20
million) embezzlement case involving Seoul?s Chogye Temple, the very
center of the order. A monk also got away with 2.3 billion won at Pomosa
Temple in Pusan four years ago.
However, this time, Buddhist civic groups have joined hands to call for
an overhaul. Buddhist Solidarity for Reform and other civic groups early
last week held a joint press conference and demanded the order come
clean on all of the suspicious cases.
The Order?s Bureau of Office admitted to the deal related to the museum
construction in a media meeting held two days later. ``We will cancel
the contract,?? the Order?s spokesman Rev. Beop An said.
Regarding other suspected cases, he said the bureau could not reveal the
irregularities, as it only has limited power to review each temple?s
case. ``When necessary, we will resort to the prosecution,?? he said.
Pundits also point that the bureau is not capable of disciplining all of
the clerics. ``The Buddhist order does not have a unified top-down
hierarchy like the Vatican does,?? said a member of the order, who spoke
on condition of anonymity. ``It consists of many powerful `munjung,? a
school of monks under the guidance of a master. They have a more
powerful say than the central bureau over general monks.
``When a munjung goes wrong, the whole group could go corrupt with
little intervention from the top.??
Jung Woong-ki, a policymaker at the Buddhist Solidarity for Reform, said
that some munjungs degraded to an interest group, taking firm grips on
lucrative major temples and their auxiliary temples as their
strongholds. ``Many top monks of the munjungs wield financial and
administrative powers. The unchecked power, in many cases, goes
corrupt,?? Jung said. He point that the Buddhist temples need constant
monitoring from laymen as well as internal members.
Professor Yun Won-cheol of Seoul National University noted that the
current problems date to the post-liberation era. ``Many unqualified
people flowed into the temples during the convulsive period, many of
whom remained as leaders in many temples,?? he said.
Yun added that ample subsidy from the government also line the pocket of
many temples. ``The subsidy alone can make them wealthy without even
offerings,?? he said.
``Originally, clerics were not supposed to work for earnings and
depended on offerings from laymen. It is expected to make them both
humble to the laymen and concentrate on the religious works apart from
material desire,?? he said. ``Now wealthy and unchecked, some can go
corrupt.??
