“Imprisoned for 2½ months in a secluded location in the mountains. My ‘crime’? Being a believer at Shincheonji Church”

On 29th September 2020, Cheonji Daily published an article in Korean entitled, “Imprisoned for 2½ months in a secluded location in the mountains. My ‘crime’? Being a believer at Shincheonji Church.” This is a translation of that article.

The once unknown term 'forced conversion' became a serious topic in South Korean society in 2008 after Pastor Yong-Sik Jin sent Mrs. Baek-Hyang Jeong to a psychiatric ward in order to carry out forced conversion. He was later punished by law. At that time Pastor Jin, who headed up the Heresy Investigation Committee of the Christian Council of Korea (CCK), forcibly converted believers who belonged to denominations of the established church labelled so-called 'cults', including Mrs. Jeong’s. Such cases began to rise in leaps and bounds. At first, pastors carried out ‘forced conversion’ (also termed ‘deprogramming’ or ‘coercive conversion’) themselves, but later altered their approach. Today, forced conversion pastors instil fear and anxiety in the families of Shincheonji Church members by slandering Shincheonji Church, so that families are deceived into believing their beloved child, wife or parent has fallen into a ‘cult’ and are prone to making immediate hasty decisions. In order to prevent this, forced conversion programs tainted by illegal practices that include kidnap, confinement and violence become the 'last straw' to save the family. In 21st century South Korea, where issues around religious freedom have been brought to the limelight, ‘forced conversion’ continues unabated. This paper intends to serialise the distressing appeals of victims who have had to endure human rights violations and oppression through forced conversion, and are otherwise unable to voice their plea. 

“Parents deceived by conversion pastors

Drugged, bound and abducted to the mountains

Pastor Begins to Carry Out ‘Coercive Conversion’

Treated like a psychopath in front of parents

Fainted, vomited and suffered severe hair loss

Household bankruptcy caused by huge payments to pastors”

[Chunji Ilbo = Reporter Kang Soo-kyung] Victims of ‘coercive conversion’ often recount serious abuse as they undergo so-called 'cult counselling'. Even though churches across denominations differ in their doctrinal teachings, victims are immediately labelled 'psychopaths' by conversion pastors if they do not ‘agree’ with their teachings.

Victims often report receiving vicious slander and cursing regarding the church they attend, not only from pastors but also from their own parents or relatives.

While undergoing this process, the victim experiences severe stress. Even though the conversion programme comes to an end, psychological trauma remains.

Abduction, forced confinement and other severe forms of punishment often scar family relations.

Ms. Gyeong-hee Yang (pseudonym) of Buk district, Pohang city, North Gyeongsang province, who underwent coercive conversion over a two and a half month period, is unable to resolve the pain resulting from the experiences she endured. What follows is a full account of Ms. Yang's appeal.

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Hello, 

I’m a 32-year-old woman from Pohang.

I am making this urgent plea because, in spite of the fact that every citizen in the Republic of Korea has inalienable rights, my own were trampled as I was treated inhumanely.

What I experienced has caused deep hurt and resentment. However, I'm making this plea not out of revenge, but of hope that no one will ever have to go through what I did. My sincere wish is that you respond to my silent cry by ensuring justice and equality is upheld in this country.

Up until my second year of university, I had been carving out my future like most other female university students. One night whilst asleep at home, I was suddenly woken up and told to get dressed. My mobile phone had been taken away and, with my hands cuffed, I was dragged out of the house, bundled into a car and driven to the mountains where I would be locked away for three days.

It was my parents who had kidnapped me in this way. It was completely beyond my understanding why they would do such a thing.

As it turns out, my parents had been manipulated by a conversion pastor who deceived them into believing that their daughter had fallen into a ‘cult’.

My parents were fully convinced that I, their daughter, had to undergo ‘coercive conversion’ in order to ‘reintegrate back to society’. All this took place for the simple fact that I was a faithful believer at Shincheonji Church; a church which the Christian Council of Korea (CCK) fails to recognise.

What on earth was this 'coercive conversion' programme all about? Everyone has freedom of religion. I’m shocked that such programmes exist.

My parents told me that if I wanted to avoid repercussions, then I should sign the consent form and receive ‘conversion counselling’. My parents mouthed profanities at me and meted out all kinds of threats. I was shocked by the sudden change in their attitude which had been wholly influenced by these conversion pastors.

Over a three-day period, the conversion pastor repeatedly told me that I was a ‘mental patient’ with psychological problems and that he had a duty to instil in me his denomination’s doctrinal teaching.

Refusing to be converted after the third day, I was forcibly taken to the city of Gwangju where I was confined in recreational lodgings and forced to undergo further ‘conversion counselling’ over a ten-day period.

I then had to undergo the programme for an additional two months in a studio near the conversion pastor's church. Seated opposite the conversion pastor, he explained to my parents that I was psychologically impaired, ignored every one of my requests, monitored my every movement and treated me like a felon.

I was forced to undergo ‘coercive conversion’ over a two-and-a-half-month period, and the related financial costs accumulated, leading to a dire economic situation at home.

Moreover, our familial bond had been ripped apart. Brought on by excessive stress, I experienced vomiting on one day and fainting on the other, with severe hair loss, whole-body skin disease and even bleeding.

When I succeeded to flee from the programme because of sheer pain, I was pushed to the ground in the middle of the street, stepped on and punched. My past experience left me with daily nightmares. Familial trust broke down.

A once healthy and stable home had turned into a catastrophe because of intrusion by conversion pastors who carry out these ‘coercive conversion’ programmes in return for money. These same pastors are now eating well and living off of the profits gained from this ‘business’. If these people who knowingly ruin other families’ lives are not brought to justice because of their crimes, why on earth do we even have laws?

I daily live in hope that no one else will have to suffer the way I have done. Please do something. 

http://www.newscj.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=783995

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Full Reports on Coercive Conversion

“Although I managed to evade 'coercive conversion' with every pastor in town brought in by fleeing to the army, harassment continued"

⇨https://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/09/although-i-managed-to-evade-coercive.html?m=0

“Incitement of Hatred Towards Shincheonji Tears Families Apart"
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/09/incitement-of-hatred-towards.html

“Conversion Pastor Caused Newlyweds to Divorce, Promoting Division and Conflict Among Both Families”

⇨https://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/09/conversion-pastor-caused-newlyweds-to.html?m=0

Drugged and Abducted, Chained and Imprisoned...Yet Police Respond to Three Separate Appeals With the Words "We Can't Help You"

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/09/drugged-and-abducted-chained-and.html

“Adult Male Kidnapped, Drugged, Handcuffed & Forced into a Suitcase for the Purpose of Coercive Conversion" (18th June 2020)

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/adult-male-kidnapped-drugged-handcuffed.html

'Counselling Education'? No - 'Coercive Conversion' & Human Rights Abuses. Controversy Surrounds YTN As Its News Anchor Becomes Head Speaker at CBS' 'Shincheonji Counselling' Programme (June 25th 2020)

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/counselling-education-no-coercive.html

Coercive Conversion in Present-Day South Korea: Amoral Pastors Who Deceive Parents for Money
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/coercive-conversion-in-present-day.html

"Mum’s Piercing Words, 'Get out of the House, you Bi*ch!' Yet Later Protested 'Bring Back my Daughter!'" (Cheonji Daily, 10th June 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/mums-piercing-words-get-out-of-house.html

"It’s because of 'Shincheonji Church' Vs. 'It's Parents Who Kidnap and Confine their Children'. Who's to blame?" (Cheonji Daily, 5th June 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/its-because-of-shincheonji-church-vs.html

“Kidnapped & Confined: Coercive Conversion Abuses Parents’ Love & Must Be Eliminated”
(Cheonji Daily 2nd June 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/kidnapped-confined-coercive-conversion.html

“Coercive Conversion Pastor Treated me like an Animal and Instigated Mistrust Within my Family”
(Cheonji Daily 1st June 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/06/coercive-conversion-pastor-treated-me.html

Is This A Communist ‘People's Court'? The Deception of Coercive Conversion
(Cheonji Daily 21st May 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/is-this-communist-peoples-court.html

Restrained with Sleeping Pills…Resisted Forced Conversion, but was Assaulted and Eventually Fainted
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/restrained-with-sleeping-pillsresisted.html

Drugged, Handcuffed, Kidnapped, Confined; it’s OK, they Belong to Shincheonji! Today’s ‘Cult Framing' that Violates Human Rights and Tears Families Apart
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/drugged-handcuffed-kidnapped-confined.html

“Kidnapped and Confined Without Shower or Food, and Sexually Shamed”
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/kidnapped-and-confined-without-shower.html

"Family deceived and manipulated into locking up and beating pregnant family member. 'Peace' will be found when truth is revealed"
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/05/family-deceived-and-manipulated-into.html

"They forced me to remove my underwear in front of relatives in a car. I'm a 30 year-old woman”
(Cheonji Daily 28th April 2020)
⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/04/they-forced-me-to-remove-my-underwear.html