π°On 9th January 2021, Cheonji Daily published an article in Korean entitled “Husband Paid Pastor 3,000,000 Korean Won For Me To Undergo Coercive Conversion”. This is a translation of that report.
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.
My husband was deceived and brought me to a mainstream church in Busan
'Consultation Fee' paid to conversion pastor
'Consultation Fee' paid to conversion pastor
“Family break" turned into "conversion nightmare"
[Cheonji Ilbo = Reporter Kang Soo-kyung] Conversion pastors who carry out coercive (forced) conversion programmes under the so-called label 'cult counselling' claim to be carrying out an act of service.
However, victims' testimonies show the contrary. Victims often attest to families making a payment of hundreds of thousands to millions of Korean Won as a 'thank you offering' for coercive conversion, in addition to up to tens of millions of Korean Won on incidental expenses including meals, transportation fees and lodging.
Testimonies prove that the impact of several months of coercive conversion brings about a severe deterioration of family relations caused by severe financial and psychological damage. Surely one must be in one's right mind before assuming responsibility of incurring such heavy expenses.
41-year-old Mrs. Mi-ho Moon (pseudonym) of Changwon city, Gyeongsangnam province, was furious that her family paid about 3,000,000 Korean Won (c.£2000) to a conversion pastor in order for her to undergo coercive conversion. In addition, Mr. Hyun-min Kim (pseudonym) (Nam district, Doryang neighbourhood, Gumi city, North Gyeongsang province) testifies to his parents having paid conversion pastors a significant 'thank you offering' in order for him to undergo coercive conversion. What follows is a full account of appeals made by Mr. Kim and Mrs. Moon.
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◆Hyun-min Kim: “Forced deferment of military service to undergo coercive conversion”
✍️They made a plan to take me to the so-called 'Christian Cult Counselling of Korea' (Heresy Investigation Committee) after spying on my every move for two months from November 2014.
On January 1st 2015, my parents said, "Let's go on a family trip to Gyeongju for two days, one night." While en route, they told me, "We're going to get you counselled!". We soon arrived at the 'Christian Cult Counselling Centre' in Busan. I insisted again and again, "I don't need 'counselling' and have no intention of receiving it", but my opinion was tossed aside.
I eventually succumbed to continual pressure from the conversion pastor and my parents, and signed my consent for 'conversion counselling'.
From the outset, the conversion pastor treated me like a psychotic criminal. Half-way through the programme, he told me, "Because you were foolish and naive, you fell victim to a strange group."
The conclusion to everything was, "You're in the wrong." The 'secretary' (assistant) beside me told me I was to be pitied. Following the initial 'consultation', I was told that my situation needed to be reassessed.
The second 'consultation' took place on January 3rd 2015 where I was personally insulted by the conversion pastor. My parents, standing beside me, beat me until I provided the 'correct' response, like a wild animal being tamed by its trainer.
The assistant treated me as if I were a delusional liar, saying, "I know when you're lying and when you're not." After the full consultation, the conversion pastor tried to set up a two-month programme without my consent.
A doctor's prescription is needed for one who is medically unwell, but among tens of thousands of religions, they found one person and violated that person's basic rights by callously manipulating the love of his parents for the purposes of undergoing coercive conversion. Consultation fees were also expended in the guise of a 'thanksgiving offering'.
It makes no sense for a 22-year-old adult to be forcibly outcast from society, made to postpone military service and undergo a coercive conversion programme from morning until evening because of having a different faith.
This all happened because a conversion pastor planted fear in the hearts of parents who love their child. Even this 22-year-old adult's mobile phone was taken away by a conversion pastor. Whether I went to the bathroom or to my bedroom, my family would stay guard within 2 metres.
As a thoughtful and rational citizen of the Republic of Korea, I can no longer bear the thought of any parent falling victim to the schemes of a conversion pastor. South Korea is a country with freedom of religion and freedom of expression. The act of monitoring and arresting me, confined on the floor, because I ascribe to a different religion, which only further exacerbated my parents' anxiety, is incomprehensible and unjustified. I can not understand or justify the actions of those who carry out coercive conversion in return for the collection of large sums of money ('offering').
Conversion pastors evade legal punishment, not because they are innocent, but because they use the family as a shield. I am making this desperate plea to inform all people everywhere of the vicious and cunning schemes of conversion pastors who destroy peaceful family homes. I hope that no other parent like mine will have to endure what I did. I plea for justice to be upheld and for these evil acts to be eradicated.
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◆Mrs. Mi-ho Moon: “I underwent coercive conversion in return for a payment of 3 million Won”
✍️Hello. My name is Mi-ho Moon, a 41-year-old housewife from Changwon city. During my stable marriage, my husband learned of my faith in Shincheonji Church through an acquaintance, and from then on, my husband began to persecute me quite severely due to others' unfavourable attitude of my faith. I even underwent the coercive conversion programme.
The day before this coercive conversion programme, my husband insisted we leave our two children with my in-laws because he was planning a 'surprise'. We did so.
At 5am the next day, my husband enticed me into the car with a lie. I fell asleep and it wasn't long before my husband woke me up. I opened my eyes and saw the front of 'Church A' in Busan. I was shocked. I refused to leave the car - screaming - but, with the help of my parents and cousins who were already there, I was brought in. In the end, I had no choice but to undergo a three-day coercive conversion programme given by 'Pastor B'.
I never imagined it would be possible for a pastor to speak lies, curses, and direct personal attacks about my faith. That formed the content of this programme. He also told me that he was sorry I was put in that position, but proudly said he was carrying out a service to 'free my soul'.
The day before this coercive conversion programme, my husband insisted we leave our two children with my in-laws because he was planning a 'surprise'. We did so.
At 5am the next day, my husband enticed me into the car with a lie. I fell asleep and it wasn't long before my husband woke me up. I opened my eyes and saw the front of 'Church A' in Busan. I was shocked. I refused to leave the car - screaming - but, with the help of my parents and cousins who were already there, I was brought in. In the end, I had no choice but to undergo a three-day coercive conversion programme given by 'Pastor B'.
I never imagined it would be possible for a pastor to speak lies, curses, and direct personal attacks about my faith. That formed the content of this programme. He also told me that he was sorry I was put in that position, but proudly said he was carrying out a service to 'free my soul'.
I later heard from my husband that he had paid a conversion pastor 3,000,000 Korean Won (c.£2000) in order for me to undergo coercive conversion, as well as breakfast and lunch expenses incurred throughout the programme. Since the programme has ended, I have continued to be treated like a beast by both families. The relationship between my family and I have completely broken down. I live in despair.
Can we really call South Korea, where there is freedom of religion, a 'liberal democracy' when one particular denomination is so heavily persecuted?! The constitution fails to protect the basic rights of individuals and families from abuses carried out through the coercive conversion programme directed by the so-called 'Heresy Investigation Committee'. This is the Republic of Korea!
Source: bit.ly/2XlMk6A
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Cases of Coercive Conversion (also known as 'Forced Conversion' or 'Deprogramming')