Venerable Beopsan, President of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, stood in front of the Seoul Central District Court in the rain, striking a wooden Buddhist percussion instrument and calling for the prompt release and granting of bail to Chairman ManHee Lee.

At 8am on the 1st, Venerable Beopsan arrived at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, carrying a picket sign that read: “Please put life before religion. Please open a path of compassion and human rights for a 95-year-old elderly person. I earnestly appeal for a trial without detention.”

But his appeal went beyond words on a placard. Venerable Beopsan personally brought a wooden Buddhist instrument and expressed his plea through chanting and Buddhist practice, conveying the depth of his concern for Chairman Lee's situation.

Before beginning the protest, Venerable Beopsan said, “It is only natural to help in any way I can, and I am simply grateful that I am able to stand here together with others.” He continued, “I sincerely hope that the Chairman will be released from detention as soon as possible.”

He also remarked on the weather, saying, “Whenever I hold a press conference or protest in Seoul, I feel as though heaven is with us, even when it rains like this.” Explaining why he had brought the wooden instrument, he said he wanted to express those feelings through a familiar form of Buddhist devotion.

Even after the demonstration ended, however, his concern remained. Expressing frustration over the prolonged situation, he said, “I feel deeply frustrated that the issue surrounding the Chairman's arrest has not been resolved more quickly.”

He stressed that the matter should not end with a single protest. “It does not seem that this should end with a one-person protest,” he said. “Until the result we hope for is achieved, we must do something — anything — to ensure that the Chairman is released as soon as possible.”

His concern was so profound that he even raised the possibility of taking more drastic action, asking, “Should I go on a hunger strike?”

Reflecting on his decision to strike the wooden instrument and chant in front of the court, Venerable Beopsan explained, “I did it in the hope that even a small part of my sincerity might reach heaven.”

The demonstration may have been carried out by a single person, but its message extended beyond one individual or one religious community. Through the wooden instrument, chanting, and his appeal for compassion, Venerable Beopsan sought to draw attention to the human-rights concerns surrounding the detention and investigation of a 95-year-old man.

His protest was ultimately an appeal for humanity: that age, dignity, and human rights should not be overlooked, and that the case should be resolved with compassion, fairness, and urgency.