On 1st January 2021, Cheonji Daily published an article in Korean entitled "Imprisoned and Starved for Over One Week for Refusing to Renounce My Faith in Shincheonji Church. How can I Forgive these Conversion Pastors?!". 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.

“Kidnapped and dragged to the site of conversion while at a family gathering
Forcibly thrown into the vehicle and strapped
Confinement of a man in his twenties in a studio
Grown man stripped of his clothing, even his underwear

Derided by conversion pastor

Refused to undergo coercive conversion
Starved of food...Determined to escape
Rescue note found and reported by resident”

[Cheonji Ilbo = Reporter Kang Soo-kyung] A young man, full of energy and above the age of 20, was abducted, confined and deprived of food for over one week - not by people he didn't know, but his own family.

How is this possible? Because the consciences of Shincheonji Church believers - who would never inflict harm on their own family - are seared, and because the love of the victim's family is seriously manipulated.

Conversion pastors approach families and play on the family's love for their loved one, secure their hire as a 'conversion pastor' for that particular case. It is well-known that conversion pastors who target Shincheonji Church believers and label their church a 'cult', package the programme with the term 'conversion', thereby eliciting abusive behaviour from the family on the victim, which often includes acts of kidnap and imprisonment.

Mr. Min-seok Im (pseudonym) of Buk district, Gwangju Metropolitan City was one such victim of kidnap and imprisonment. In his appeal, Mr. Im claims that he was cursed at with every kind of profanity and deprived of food, and now struggles to forgive these conversion pastors and their associates. What follows is a full account of Mr. Lim's appeal.

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Before December 27th 2013, I was a sociable university student with a stable home life. 

Although my family had some issues with disagreements over my father's business, there was mutual trust and dependence and we lived in relative peace. My father's busy schedule meant that my mother, sister and I took care of our younger brother.

December 27th 2013 was the day when my father, who had been away on a long business trip, returned to Gwangju for an end-of-the-year celebration. We all gathered at home for dinner.

After our family meal, while drinking tea together, my aunt, who was living in Haenam county, came over to our home. I was so surprised she had come and glad to see her because she was a good aunt who took good care of my family and I.

My aunt told me that there was a heavy bag of rice in the car, and needed the help of my father and I. Of course I lent a helping hand.

But when I got to the car, I didn't find a single bag of rice, but my cousin sitting inside. As soon as I opened the car door, my cousin grabbed me by the neck, covered my mouth and pulled me into the car. My father, who was behind me, lifted me up by my legs and threw me into the car.

I remember screaming in fear, ’“Please save me!” The more I shouted and resisted, the firmer they  sealed my mouth shut and tightened their grip around my neck and arms.

My mother rummaged through all my pockets, taking my mobile phone and any other phone she thought I may have had. I kept yelling at them to let me go, but my parents dragged me off, saying, "We're doing this for your benefit."

We arrived outside a studio.

I was taken out of the car with my arms held tightly, and dragged to the studio to prevent me from running away. I screamed for help as I was carried up the stairs leading to the studio, and was thrown onto the studio bed with my mouth completely sealed. My arm was twisted tightly so that I couldn't move, and was searched for any location tracker they could find, stripping me bare, even checking inside my underwear. It was such a shameful experience which I had no means of escaping.

When asked why they were doing this, they told me it was because of my life of faith in Shincheonji Church, and that if I did what I was asked, I would be set free.

That's how my imprisonment began. I didn't know how long it would last and was told that if I didn't listen, it would last for months. My time inside the studio was only filled with very painful memories.

While incarcerated, all my steps were monitored by my parents. The only space I could move around in was a small single room and a toilet. Even when I went to the bathroom, my parents did not let me close the bathroom door and monitored my every move from next door. Throughout this process, they were in continual contact with someone on the phone, receiving instructions.

My parents, who had genuinely loved and cared for me, forced me to sign a 'consent form' to undergo the coercive conversion programme. The more I resisted, the more I was maltreated.

During the week of confinement, I was told, “He's no better than a beast or even a worm", and even that I wouldn't be fed until I gave my consent for this coercive conversion programme.

In South Korea, where religious freedom is 'guaranteed', I couldn't understand why I had to undergo this all simply because of religion. I was horrified by the radically different and now aggressive behaviour of my parents.

Knowing that the conversion programme was illegal and inhumane with its acts of kidnap and imprisonment, I did not for a moment give into the possibility of going through with it, even though my parents were threatening to hold food back from me.

I was shocked and ashamed of my parents' behaviour. Their faces lit as they told me I had to meet someone who is running a "conversion programme". They then made a phone call.

The next night, a middle-aged man, whom my parents introduced as a 'law expert on such matters', came to the studio. It later turned out to be Mr. Park, a conversion pastor.

As soon as Mr. Park came, he sighed deeply, told me that he had met many students like me, knew what to do, and urged me to quickly sign the consent form for me to undergo the conversion programme.

I was forced into it and stared blankly at Mr. Park. More than one week had passed since my parents last served me a meal, so my body and mind were exhausted. Refusing to say anything, Mr. Park left the studio saying that he was a busy person, and invited my parents to contact him again if I were ever willing to undergo the conversion programme. My parents even apologised to him.

Confinement continued even after Mr. Park left, but I had no intention of giving into the conversion programme. My beloved parents became puppets of these conversion businessmen and refused to listen to me, so the programme couldn't go ahead as they wished. That's when I looked for an opportunity to escape.

Finding the opportune moment while my parents had their faces turned away, I wrote a short message asking for immediate police assistance and threw it outside the bathroom window. 16 days later, I was set free after a resident who found the note reported my case to the police.

As a citizen of the Republic of Korea, I have the right to every basic freedom. Yet this incident showed otherwise. 

Article 20, clause 1 of the Korean Constitution clearly stipulates, "all citizens shall enjoy freedom of religion". However, conversion businessmen disregard these human rights and commit illegal activities by manipulating parents to kidnap and imprison their own child.

For about two months following this incident, I suffered daily nightmares recollecting my kidnap. I became terrified of my surroundings and was unable to go outside alone. It's also no exaggeration to say that our family unit has been completely decimated.

I am one obvious victim of the coercive conversion programme. Conversion pastors are thieves who use religion to fill their pockets. That is why I can not forgive them for the way they manipulate families for financial gain.

In South Korea, coercive conversion programmes operate unabated, and will continue to do so, as long as conversion pastors who exercise this degree of malicious manipulation over parents continue to evade legal punishment. I sincerely ask that these illegal and inhumane conversion programmes are completely abolished from Korea - a country which supposedly 'guarantees' one's basic rights.

Moreover, conversion businessmen who sowed seeds of distrust within our once harmonious family unit, only to tear it apart, must be gotten rid of. Even now, they continue to carry out illegal acts that undermine the basic wellbeing and rights of other families. I ask the government and judiciary of the Republic of Korea to protect its citizens so that there are no further victims like me.
Source: http://www.newscj.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=814660

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

73-Day Coercive Conversion Programme in Confinement for Attending Shincheonji Church - I Fled Mid-Winter through the Bathroom Window

⇨https://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/12/73-day-coercive-conversion-programme-in.html?m=0

Targets of 'Forced Conversion' Suffering 'Kidnap, Confinement, Brainwashing' - Female College Students, Pregnant Women, Vulnerable Cancer Patients.

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/12/targets-of-forced-conversion-suffering.html

1000s of Cases of Abduction, Confinement and Assault: Shocking Stats Expose South Korea's Shameful 'Coercive Conversion' Endemic

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/12/1000s-of-cases-of-abduction-confinement.html

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

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2020/12/international-communitys-petition-for.html

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