Bongunsa's former abbot Myungjin passed away on August 22 after an accident in the waters off Jeju's Seogwipo. He was 76 years old and had 52 years of monastic experience.
According to Yonhap News, Myungjin was rescued at 9:38 a.m. near Haye Port in Seogwipo while floating in the water.
The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, along with police and fire authorities, reported that the monk was in cardiac arrest at the time of rescue. He was transported to a hospital but was pronounced dead at 10:28 a.m. His remains were moved to Seogwipo Medical Center.
The Coast Guard suspects that Myungjin suffered an accident while practicing freediving, based on the equipment he was wearing at the time of the incident. Friends indicated that he had been freediving annually and was engaged in the activity on the morning of his death.
Born in 1950 in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, Myungjin became a monk at Baengnyeonam in Haeinsa in 1969 and received his novice ordination from Master Tanseong in 1974.
In 1994, Myungjin led reforms within the Jogye Order. He served as a member of the 11th Central Council and as vice-chairman from 1998 to 2002. He later worked as the head of the National Community Promotion Headquarters, advocating for inter-Korean Buddhist exchanges and unification efforts.
From 2006 to 2010, he was the abbot of Bongunsa in Gangnam, Seoul. During his tenure, he emphasized transparency in temple operations by publicly disclosing financial information and involving laypeople in temple meetings.
While serving as abbot, Myungjin clashed with the Jogye Order's headquarters over the transition of Bongunsa to a directly managed temple. He publicly criticized the then-head of the headquarters and the Lee Myung-bak administration, alleging political pressure during the transition process.
He also voiced criticism of major national policies, including the Four Major Rivers Project, during the Lee Myung-bak administration. Following this, it was revealed that the National Intelligence Service monitored Myungjin's activities and attempted to shape public opinion against him, leading to controversy over civilian surveillance within the Buddhist community.
After completing his term as abbot, Myungjin continued to criticize the leadership of the Jogye Order through interviews and ceremonies. In 2017, he was expelled from the order, which cited reasons including damaging the dignity of the monastic community and disparaging the executive branch. This expulsion was a severe penalty that stripped him of his monk status.
Myungjin opposed the expulsion, claiming it was a politically motivated punishment aimed at silencing dissent. In February 2023, he filed a lawsuit against the Jogye Order to nullify the expulsion.
Both the first and second courts ruled in favor of Myungjin, determining that the expulsion lacked procedural and substantive legitimacy. The Jogye Order and Myungjin agreed not to appeal the appellate court's ruling on February 3, 2023, concluding the lawsuit and restoring his monk status.
Myungjin was not only vocal about issues within the order but also engaged in social matters. He visited the site of the Yongsan tragedy to pay tribute to the victims and comfort their families, and he showed solidarity with the families of the Sewol ferry disaster victims by visiting the National Assembly and Gwanghwamun Square.
Having experienced the horrors of war during the Vietnam War, he dedicated himself to advocating for the socially vulnerable, peace on the Korean Peninsula, and the social responsibilities of religion.
Recently, as the 38th Jogye Order General Secretary election approached, he pointed out issues with the current electoral system and called for a transition to a system of appointing the General Secretary.
Currently, the Jogye Order and Beopju Temple, where Myungjin was affiliated, are discussing funeral arrangements.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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