Confined in a Remote Mountainous Log Cabin - Coercive Conversion Predominantly Targets Shincheonji Church Members (Part 1/2)

📰On 31st December 2020, Cheonji Daily published an article in Korean entitled “Confined in a Remote Mountainous Log Cabin - Coercive Conversion Predominantly Targets Shincheonji Church Members”. 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.

Shincheonji Church Members Are Targets of Coercive Conversion

Conversion Pastor Manipulates Victim's Parents, Instilling Fear & Anxiety through Slander & Prejudice, Kidnapping and Imprisoning Children

[Cheonji Ilbo = Reporter Kang Soo-kyung] Because of the vested rights of the established Church, they label certain faiths as 'cults'. This is why these groups are particularly wary of disclosing their faith. Believers belonging to these groups are often particularly subjected to social 'intimidation' when their faith is openly disclosed.

Ms. Hye-mi Yoo (pseudonym) of Buk district, Gwangju Metropolitan City, who enjoyed an active work life and faith in Shincheonji Church, had her faith revealed by pastors of the established Church.

Ms. Yoo was well aware of the societal stigma surrounding her faith so she needed time to prepare her heart to inform them that she was a congregant of Shincheonji Church. Nevertheless, pastors of the existing established Church disclosed her faith to her family and began making plans to instruct her family to carry out coercive conversion through acts of kidnap and confinement under the direction of a conversion pastor.

In the end, the family dynamic completely broke down as opposed to nurturing it. What follows is the full account of Ms. Yoo's testimony.

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✍️To the government of the Republic of Korea, media and respected citizens, 

I hope this letter finds you well.

My name is Hye-mi Yoo. I was forcibly imprisoned by a Christian conversion pastor in South Korea, where there is freedom of religion, and consequently suffered trauma from the coercive conversion programme.

Conversion pastors lead a group called the 'Heresy Investigation Committee' - an entity that has been neither morally, religiously nor legally-verified - which encourages the families of a believer who has chosen their own faith to carry out acts of kidnap and imprisonment. When issues later arise between conversion pastors and the family, the pastors find cunning ways to transfer all responsibility onto the family and evade legal punishment themselves.

Those responsible for shaking and destroying the family unit are not family members, but conversion pastors - 'religious scammers' who go to any length to achieve their money-making ambition.

In November 2007, my mother learned that I was a congregant of Shincheonji Church through her acquaintance, who is a pastor of 'A Church' in Gwangju. My parents didn't know what kind of church Shincheonji Church was. This church pastor showed her the list of Shincheonji Church members and told her all kinds of allegations about Shincheonji Church. Moreover, this pastor introduced Evangelist Im - an avaricious conversion 'businessman' who runs an Heresy Investigation Committee in 'B Church' Gwangju - to my mother.

When my mother met Evangelist Im, she began to listen to all kinds of baseless accusations about Shincheonji Church.

Later, on May 11th 2008, I went to church with my family after we all attended an event in celebration of my mother's 60th birthday. But as we were driving to the venue, the vehicle suddenly turned off route and arrived at an unfamiliar place. I exclaimed, “Where are we going? What's going on?” I asked my parents to stop the car, but they proceeded to take my mobile phone and my glasses so I lost sight of our direction.

The place we arrived at was a remote log house in the deep Chukryeong mountains, Jangseong county.

I tried to stay in the car, fearing that I would be  immediately incarcerated if I left, but my family pulled me out and forced my shoes off to keep me from running away.

I was forced into the log house by my parents, sister and brother-in-law. At that moment, I thought of rushing into the bathroom, locking the bathroom door and reporting an act of kidnap to the police, but as I tried to do so, my parents and brother-in-law, who noticed this in advance, grabbed me and dragged me into the room. My parents were in constant and direct contact with the conversion pastor, receiving detailed instructions and reporting my movements.

As instructed by the conversion pastor, my family rummaged through my underwear and attached a tracking device on my body. I was shocked and humiliated and felt a deep sense of injustice.

I swore to my family that I would not accept coercive conversion, and cried out for them to let me out. However, my family had already received instructions from the conversion pastor and finalised preparations. They turned a blind eye to my earnest appeal.

All door handles were changed so they were locked from the outside, room windows were covered with iron bars, and the small windows facing out from the kitchen were covered with black plastic to mask what was on the inside. Moreover, the entrance to the front door was secured with a large lock.

Wherever I moved, my family also moved. When I went to the bathroom, my mother would come in and watch. I had no freedom. My basic rights were trampled on.

In the evening, a guide was placed in the room to watch over me. Two family members slept inside the room, while others slept outside to prevent me from escaping.

I was imprisoned for a total of five days - from May 11th to 15th 2008 - where I was forced to undergo the coercive conversion programme by three money-mongering conversion pastors for 12 hours a day. They brought in people I didn't know and encouraged them to surround me and mock me. There was no rest except for when I ate and went to the bathroom. I sat in a chair all day taking in the false content of this programme. It was such a difficult time. I really wanted to die.

The conversion pastor carried out the 'Presbyterian Brainwashing Programme' while spewing personal attacks and lies about the Chairman of Shincheonji Church, Man Hee Lee. At that time, I objected to evangelist Im's forcing of the programme on people held against their will - like myself - and stressed that there was no justification for it. Evangelist Im just derided me, dismissed my arguments and forced me to listen to his doctrine. The resulting physical and mental anguish can not be expressed in words. They remain an indelible wound of the heart.

Source: http://www.newscj.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=814372

Part 2 (continued): http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/01/conversion-pastor-set-out-to-convert-me.html

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

Abduction and Confinement - Coercive (Forced) Conversion in South Korea

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/01/abduction-and-confinement-coercive.html

I Became a Victim of 'Coercive Conversion' in South Korea Because I'm a Member of Shincheonji Church of Jesus

⇨https://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/01/shincheonji-church-victim-of-coercive.html?m=0

Confined in a Remote Mountainous Log Cabin - Coercive Conversion Predominantly Targets Shincheonji Church Members (part 2/2)

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/01/conversion-pastor-set-out-to-convert-me.html

Imprisoned and Starved for Over One Week for Refusing to Renounce My Faith in Shincheonji Church. How Can I Forgive these Conversion Pastors?!

⇨http://noahbrown1984.blogspot.com/2021/01/imprisoned-and-starved-for-over-one.html

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