Article 20 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea guarantees individuals the freedom to choose and maintain their religious beliefs without coercion. Yet testimonies from Shincheonji members who experienced so-called “cult counselling” raise serious questions about whether this fundamental right has been respected.

Victims describe an alleged “illegal conversion programme” that exploited public hostility towards Shincheonji and families’ fears that loved ones had joined a heretical group. According to their accounts, individuals were forcibly taken, confined and pressured to renounce their faith, while families were encouraged to participate in organised protests.

Critics argue that the involvement of cult counselling centres in organising anti-Shincheonji activities has become a profit-making operation, with families facing substantial and hidden counselling-related costs.

The National Association of Victims of Religious Cults (NAVRC) describes itself as an organisation representing families who believe Shincheonji has harmed their loved ones. However, allegations of close links between the association and the conversion activities of cult counselling centres warrant scrutiny.

According to media reports and victim testimonies, some families, following guidance from counselling centres, have taken Shincheonji members away against their will and brought them to conversion programmes.

Victims describe being confined in isolated locations, prevented from communicating freely and pressured into signing counselling consent forms.

Young people and female believers were reportedly among the primary targets. In some cases, family relationships—the very relationships expected to provide safety and support—were allegedly used as instruments of coercion, undermining individuals’ autonomy and fundamental rights.

Questions have also been raised about the role of cult counselling centre officials in organising anti-Shincheonji demonstrations under the banner of victim support.

It has been reported by the domestic newspaper and online media outlet Cheonji Ilbo (Cheonkji Daily) that the National Alliance for Countermeasures Against Shincheonji (Shindaeyeon), involving Hyun-wook Shin, director of the Guri Heresy Counselling Centre, issued detailed instructions to individual protesters, including designated locations, times and routes.

Victim testimonies further suggest that when counselling efforts failed, families were encouraged to organise individual or group protests. These allegations raise questions about whether the demonstrations were genuinely spontaneous civic actions or part of a coordinated strategy.

In a recent interview with a Christian media outlet, Director Shin Hyun-wook reportedly encouraged parents whose children attend Shincheonji to “make sure to receive counselling on cults first and then go out to carry out a one-person protest.”

Allegations have repeatedly emerged that some counselling centres demand substantial payments from distressed families, including conversion counselling fees, educational costs, venue rental charges, sponsorships and thank-you offerings.

Although membership fees were reportedly collected from participants in previous anti-Shincheonji protests, the exchange of money alone does not establish illegal profit-making. Nevertheless, questions remain about who received the funds, how they were used and whether financial arrangements were connected to coercive practices.

Critics argue that the combination of opaque financial transactions and alleged human rights violations warrants a thorough investigation.

Victims also claim that families were left carrying the legal risks and liabilities arising from forced conversion, while those who allegedly organised the activities avoided accountability. They are calling for an investigation into whether family distress was exploited for financial gain.

The Constitution of the Republic of Korea protects personal liberty (Article 12), freedom of conscience (Article 19) and freedom of religion (Article 20). These protections apply to everyone, regardless of public opinion about their religious affiliation.

If individuals were forcibly detained, threatened or coerced into changing their beliefs, such conduct may constitute criminal offences, including unlawful arrest and confinement under Article 276 and coercion under Article 324 of the Criminal Act. Those who instigated such acts may also face liability under Article 31.

Religious affiliation does not exempt anyone from constitutional protection, nor does it justify violations of fundamental rights.

Dr Massimo Introvigne, an internationally recognised religious scholar and director of the Centre for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), has described a three-stage process through which religious minorities can become targets of persecution: the construction of negative media narratives (intolerance), administrative and judicial discrimination, and ultimately social exclusion and physical violence (persecution).

The treatment of Shincheonji raises concerns about whether elements of this pattern are also present in South Korean society. Critics point to negative media coverage, hostility from some established religious groups and alleged abuses carried out under the guise of “cult counselling.”

For members who have already been publicly stigmatised, even basic human rights can appear to be treated as privileges rather than constitutional guarantees. This perception risks normalising coercion and discrimination.

An official from the World Solidarity for Religious Freedom and Human Rights (RSPR) emphasised:

The official added: “We call for severe punishment for ‘unlawful forced conversion’, which violates the fundamental rights guaranteed to individuals by the Constitution, and urge the authorities to protect the human rights of Shincheonji believers who uphold and abide by the Constitution.”

Ultimately, freedom of religion must be protected equally for all. Allegations of forced conversion, unlawful confinement and financial exploitation deserve impartial investigation, regardless of the religious group involved.