International Community's Petition for an End to Coercive Conversion, While National Human Rights Commission of Korea Turns a Blind Eye

On 22th December 2020, Cheonji Daily (Cheonji Ilbo) published a report , in Korean, by Busan Cultural Development Institute entitled 'International Community's Petition for an End to Coercive Conversion, While National Human Rights Commission of Korea Turns a Blind Eye.' This is a translation.

The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan American think tank, classified South Korea as one of two countries where religiously-motivated social hostility has been on a sharp rise. Following reports that emerged in early 2018 of a young South Korean woman who was murdered by her own parents on the 'coercive', or 'forced conversion' programme for not renouncing her beliefs and converting to the Christian faith, more than 120,000 people gathered in protest in Seoul. The victim was the late Ji-in Gu, a believer in Shincheonji Church of Jesus. The international community quickly gave ear to this heinous act.

It is to the utter shame of this country - a 'liberal democracy' where 'freedom of religion' is enshrined within the Constitution - that cases like the late Ms. Gu's occur. Ms. Gu was the second congregant of Shincheonji Church who was murdered while undergoing coercive conversion.

Shincheonji Church is treated like a vile criminal, even though it has not committed any crime, reflecting the outright moral depravity of certain parties with vested interests.

The victims of coercive conversion are few and socially ostracised. Fear of discrimination makes it very difficult to openly reveal one's life of faith in Shincheonji Church. The majority of reports of coercive conversion made to the police, as well as appeals to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, are dismissed as a "family", or "religious matter". It is neglect by the law in this country amid a climate  of severe religious oppression that kills people.

The current situation is absurd. The government and public authorities, which should safeguard the rights of the people, have repeatedly scapegoated this minority faith in order to secure "votes" while religious discrimination continues unabated. This has become an attempt to justify the actions of religious persecutors, which is nonsense.

The most effective way to combat human rights violations such as forced conversion is through severe legal punishment for the perpetrator. Children over the age of 20 are adults with the right to self-determination which must be respected. No one has the right to kill or, through violence, force conversion upon another because of the differing beliefs of parents or family members. Moreover, freedom of religion is a natural human right, and President Moon Jae-in has promised to strengthen basic rights. The corrupt and backward politics where a world without discrimination is called for, yet 'religious freedom' is promoted on their own terms, must cease. Although much time has passed, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea must clarify the reality of forced conversion, which tramples on peoples' human rights through religious discrimination, and make swift improvements. 

Source: http://www.newscj.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=807792

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Cases of Coercive Conversion (also known as 'Forced Conversion' or 'Deprogramming')

Allegation "Shincheonji Stole My Daughter" Found to Be a Lie

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/12/allegation-shincheonji-stole-my.html

Imprisoned in a Country Pension to Undergo Coercive Conversion because of My Life of Faith at Shincheonji Church of Jesus

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/10/imprisoned-in-countryside-pension-to.html

“Forced to Undergo 'Coercive Conversion' Thrice Within Two Years, Even Confined in a Psychiatric Ward Simply Due to My Faith at Shincheonji Church of Jesus"

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/10/forced-to-undergo-coercive-conversion.html

“Liars Allege that Shincheonji Church Confiscates Property, Destroys Families & Endorses Coercive Conversion. It’s Coercive Conversion Pastors Who Do Such Things!”

⇨https://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/10/liars-allege-that-shincheonji-church.html?m=0

Confined on the 2nd floor of a Police Station to Stop me from Living my Life of Faith at Shincheonji Church. With a Crippled Arm, I Was Dragged Away for Coercive Conversion

⇨https://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/10/confined-on-2nd-floor-of-police-station.html?m=0

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

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/10/imprisoned-for-2-months-in-secluded.html

“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