South Korea is a developed country with a human rights record that most people would consider respectable. However, in the last ten years there has been a growing epidemic of the 'coercive conversion' virus which few people may be aware of. 

'Coercive conversion' is a programme established and implemented by pastors affiliated to the Christian Council of Korea (CCK) - an organisation of churches in South Korea founded on the Presbyterian doctrine - that has resulted in the deaths of two young women and torn thousands of families apart. Pastors in positions of authority and hungry for money, deceive families into believing that their loved one has joined a cult. Upon the pastor's counsel (and as a means of evading the law), the family then feeds their loved ones sleeping pills, drags them to a secluded location, robs them of communication with the outside world, confines them in handcuffs and subjects them to physical and psychological abuse until they renounce their beliefs and consent to receiving Presbyterian ‘conversion education’.

Since the death of 25-year-old Ji-In Gu in January 2018, who was suffocated to death in recreational lodgings at the hands of her parents for refusing to renounce her religious beliefs, the international community has become increasingly vocal on 'coercive conversion'. Following a 120,000-strong rally in Seoul, rallies were held worldwide and 221 US media channels, including ABC, publicised news of her death. Even the United Nations decried the practice and called for a shutdown of the CCK and punishment of its 'coercive conversion' pastors. What makes this even more deplorable is the fact that, from 2008-2018, pastors in South Korea have been found guilty of 12,000 crimes including fraud, burglary, forgery, defamation, drink-driving, arson, sexual assault and even murder.

On July 24th 2019, an open letter to the South Korean President Moon Jae In - signed by 15 international NGOs including Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) - read, “South Korea may well be the last democratic country in the world where deprogramming is still tolerated” and the letter urged the President to “investigate in-depth accusations of forcible deprogramming, put a stop to this obnoxious practice, and hold those responsible fully accountable.” In August 2019, at a ministerial conference at the US State Department building, it was officially pointed out that Korea is the only democratic country where forced conversion is tolerated. 

Yet the South Korean government has remained silent on this issue. After Ms. Gu was kidnapped the first time, she escaped and, in July 2016, pled in writing to the then South Korean president for a ban on 'coercive conversion', the shut down of the CCK and punishment for its perpetrators. Her plea received no response and she died soon after being abducted the second time.

It is with a burning heart, therefore, that 80 legal experts, journalists and civil society representatives gathered in Seoul, South Korea, on 29th November 2019 to participate in a prominent seminar on human rights for the protection of the rights of religious minorities, with a particular focus on 'coercive conversion'. The seminar, entitled Intolerance and Discrimination Against New Religious Movements: An International Problem, was hosted by Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR) from Italy and Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) from Belgium. It outlined the ongoing issue of 'deprogramming' and discussed solutions for the safeguarding of one's freedom of faith and human rights.

Massimo Introvigne, Managing Director of CESNUR and sociologist, identified 'coercive conversion' as mainstream practice of the established church in South Korea, saying, “Korean deprogrammers are specialized pastors from the mainline churches, most of them Presbyterian." Mr. Introvigne raised criticism, saying, "The protests that commemorate the victims from forced conversion were mentioned in the 2019 U.S. State Department Report on Religious Freedom, including violations of religious freedom in the year 2018. However, there were new cases of deprogramming even after their death."

Willy Fautré, Founder and Director of HRWF, held the leadership within the Korean Presbyterian Church responsible and proposed developing advocacy at the UN and also within organisations that advocate for the freedom of religion or belief. He also called for perpetrators to be punished accordingly.

South Korea was recently elected to serve its fifth term on the United Nations Human Rights Council on October 17th, and South Korea’s mission to the UN said that it endeavours “to participate in the international efforts to respond to human rights crises around the world.” It is a supposedly 'democratic' country which enshrines religious freedoms within its constitution (article 20 stating that 'all citizens enjoy freedom of religion'). Yet, the reality couldn't be further.

Today, on December 14th 2019, dozens of people throughout South Korea are suffering silently in secluded lodgings for refusing to renounce their religious beliefs. Coercive conversion is a criminal practice implemented by a criminal organisation that hides itself behind the veil of religion.

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