A decision by the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, a public entity under Gyeonggi Province in South Korea, to cancel the venue for a significant religious event has ignited a fierce debate about religious freedom and discrimination.
The ‘Religious Leaders Forum and Graduation Ceremony,’ jointly organized by the Association for Buddhist National Unification of Korea and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, was scheduled to take place in Paju, South Korea on October 29, 2024.
The event, which was expected to draw over 30,000 participants from 78 countries, including 1,000 religious leaders representing various faiths such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism, was abruptly canceled without prior notice.
The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization, a public entity under Gyeonggi Province, abruptly canceled the venue rental without prior notice.
This last-minute decision has resulted in significant financial damage to the international event. Organizers of this event stated that the cancellation constitutes an unconstitutional act of discrimination against a specific religion, violating religious freedom, human rights, and due process of law.
The hosting organizations, the Association for Buddhist National Unification of Korea and Shincheonji Church of Jesus, said that they had received official confirmation on October 23rd and 28th that there was no plan of cancellation.
They also said that the unilateral cancellation was an unreasonable administrative action targeting a specific religious group.
They further emphasize that other events scheduled for the same day were not affected, suggesting that the cancellation was “administrative decision caused by opposition from a specific religious group,” which “violates the principle of separation of church and state guaranteed by the Constitution.”
The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization cited security concerns related to recent North Korean actions and the planned activities of a North Korean defector group as reasons for the cancellation.
However, it was pointed out that other events, such as civilian bike rides and foreign tourist visits to the DMZ, were permitted within the same designated area.
The incident has reignited international debate about religious freedom and tolerance in South Korea.
The U.S. State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report has previously highlighted concerns such as the prosecution of Shincheonji Church of Jesus and the government’s refusal to approve mosque construction.
The Association for Buddhist National Unification of Korea and Shincheonji Church of Jesus call upon the South Korean government to respect religious freedom, uphold human rights, and rectify this unjust decision.
They urge international organizations to monitor this situation and take appropriate action to protect religious freedom.
