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Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Korea Herald
Will Kumgangsan UNESCO listing open path for inter-Korean cooperation?
South Korea's largest Buddhist sect pledges full commitment to preserving mountain's Buddhist heritage Hopes for renewed inter-Korean cooperation grew Monday after North Korea's Kumgangsan was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris on Sunday. This marks the North's third entry on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, following Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong in 2013 and the Complex of Koguryo Tombs inscribed in 2004. In 2021, North Korea submitted its application to have Kumgangsan recognized by UNESCO as a mixed heritage site, reflecting the rich Buddhist mountain traditions and long-standing practice of mountain worship and pilgrimage spanning centuries. However, the site's review was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation resumed this year. Located in a granite mountain range whose peaks range from over 1,600 meters above sea level down to the sea, the scenic Kumgangsan, officially listed as "Mount Kumgang ― Diamond Mountain from the Sea," is known for its striking white granite peaks, deep valleys, waterfalls and pristine ecosystem. The mountain range stretches from North Korea's Kumgang County, North Goseong County and Tongchon County to parts of South Goseong County ― specifically Hyeonnae-myeon and Sudong-myeon ― as well as parts of Inje County in South Korea's Gangwon Province. Spanning 40 kilometers in width and 60 kilometers in length, the mountain range covers about 530 square kilometers in total, with roughly 10 square kilometers extending into South Korea, a Gangwon Province official told The Korea Herald. Following the announcement, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the largest Buddhist sect here, hinted at possible inter-Korean cooperation. "Kumgangsan is a key site of Korean Buddhism. During the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), many pilgrims visited the site to honor the Bodhisattva, often placing small statues on the mountain's cliffs. During the Imjin War (Japan's 1592-1598 invasion of Korea), it was also a rallying point where Buddhist warrior monks, led by Samyeong Daesa, defended the nation," the Jogye Order said in a statement Sunday. "Today, the mountain is home to many historic temples that preserve Korea's Buddhist heritage. We see it as our duty to share Kumgangsan's cultural significance with the world and protect its remaining Buddhist legacy, and remain fully committed to this goal," the statement further read, suggesting renewed cooperation to preserving shared Korean Buddhist heritage. The Jogye Order and the North's Central Committee of the Buddhist Federation of Korea previously cooperated to restore the temple Shingyesa at Kumgangsan, after it had been destroyed during the 1950-53 Korea War. Restoration work began in 2004 and its completion in 2007 was marked by a Buddhist service attended by monks from both sides. A senior official of the Korea Heritage Service remained cautious about potential cooperation between Seoul and Pyongyang, calling it a "politically sensitive issue." "Cooperation between the two Koreas largely depends on the political leadership. Ties have been stalled (under the former conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration). We will see how things will progress under (the liberal Lee Jae Myung administration)," the official told The Korea Herald, declining to comment further. Earlier this month, President Lee Jae Myung, speaking at a press conference, pledged to improve relations with North Korea based on South Korea-US joint efforts and cooperation.
Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Korea Herald
Will Kumgangsan's UNESCO listing open path for renewed inter-Korean cooperation?
South Korea's largest Buddhist sect hints at inter-Korean cooperation, pledging full commitment to preserving Buddhist heritage at Kumgangsan Hopes for renewed inter-Korean cooperation grew Monday after North Korea's Kumgangsan was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris on Sunday. This marks the North's third entry on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, following Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong in 2013 and the Complex of Koguryo Tombs inscribed in 2004. In 2021, North Korea submitted its application to have Kumgangsan recognized by UNESCO as a mixed heritage site, reflecting the rich Buddhist mountain traditions and long-standing practice of mountain worship and pilgrimage spanning centuries. However, the site's review was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The evaluation resumed this year. Located in a granite mountain range whose peaks range from over 1,600 meters above sea level down to the sea, the scenic Kumgangsan, officially listed as "Mount Kumgang ― Diamond Mountain from the Sea," is known for its striking white granite peaks, deep valleys, waterfalls and pristine ecosystem. The mountain range stretches from North Korea's Kumgang County, North Goseong County and Tongchon County to parts of South Goseong County ― specifically Hyeonnae-myeon and Sudong-myeon ― as well as parts of Inje County in South Korea's Gangwon Province. Spanning 40 kilometers in width and 60 kilometers in length, the mountain range covers about 530 square kilometers in total, with roughly 10 square kilometers extending into South Korea, a Gangwon Province official told The Korea Herald. Following the announcement, the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the largest Buddhist sect here, hinted at possible inter-Korean cooperation. "Kumgangsan is a key site of Korean Buddhism. During the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), many pilgrims visited the site to honor the Bodhisattva, often placing small statues on the mountain's cliffs. During the Imjin War (Japan's 1592-1598 invasion of Korea), it was also a rallying point where Buddhist warrior monks, led by Samyeong Daesa, defended the nation," the Jogye Order said in a statement Sunday. "Today, the mountain is home to many historic temples that preserve Korea's Buddhist heritage. We see it as our duty to share Kumgangsan's cultural significance with the world and protect its remaining Buddhist legacy, and remain fully committed to this goal," the statement further read, suggesting renewed cooperation to preserving shared Korean Buddhist heritage. The Jogye Order and the North's Central Committee of the Buddhist Federation of Korea previously cooperated to restore the temple Shingyesa at Kumgangsan, after it had been destroyed during the 1950-53 Korea War. Restoration work began in 2004 and its completion in 2007 was marked by a Buddhist service attended by monks from both sides. A senior official of the Korea Heritage Service remained cautious about potential cooperation between Seoul and Pyongyang, calling it a "politically sensitive issue." "Cooperation between the two Koreas largely depends on the political leadership. Ties have been stalled (under the former conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration). We will see how things will progress under (the liberal Lee Jae Myung administration)," the official told The Korea Herald, declining to comment further.
New York Times
13-06-2025
- General
- New York Times
Stolen From Buddhist Monks, Sacred Painting Is Returned by Chicago Museum
An order of Buddhist monks in South Korea were shocked in the summer of 1989 when their temple was ransacked during a violent thunderstorm. Thieves had posed as hikers to enter the grounds of the Bomunsa temple in the North Gyeongsang province, and they sped away in a beige van with four sacred paintings. For years, guilt and anguish haunted the temple's abbot, Ham Tae-wan. Two of the stolen paintings were eventually recovered in 2014 after an extensive search in South Korea, and the thieves were prosecuted. But the trail of the last two paintings ran cold. More years passed, and the abbot became despondent. 'I have blamed myself for failing to safeguard these Buddhist paintings that are objects of faith in Korea,' he wrote in a letter. 'Not just art.' Then, in 2023, Korean government officials discovered something surprising: One of the missing paintings appeared in the online collections database for the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago, listed under the wrong title. Officials alerted the monks. In August of that year, the museum received a letter from Jinwoo, president of the Jogye Order, Korea's largest sect of Buddhism. 'I hope that the museum will work with us amicably on this matter so this sacred Buddhist painting can be returned,' the president said. It is never a positive story when a stolen religious object from Asia is discovered in a Western museum. But the tale of the painting's return is an example of how Western cultural institutions can sometimes use the repatriation process to mend relationships with cultural and religious groups in other parts of the world. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
CNA
10-06-2025
- General
- CNA
Fire near South Korea's Jogye temple contained, treasures spared: officials say
SEOUL: A fire broke out on Tuesday (Jun 10) in a building housing some of South Korea's national treasures, neighbouring the historic Buddhist Jogye temple in Seoul, but it was later extinguished and there was no damage to the artefacts or injuries, fire officials said. More than 300 monks and officials from the Jogye order, who were meeting in the building's conference hall, were evacuated safely, Jongno district fire department official Kang Kyung-chul told a briefing. Some three dozen fire trucks were deployed to the complex after clouds of smoke were seen billowing from the building, which is used by the Jogye order, the largest in the country, and also by a Buddhist museum that houses two national treasures and several cultural heritage artefacts. It was not immediately clear what national treasures were in the building. Firefighters were able to prevent the fire in the concrete building from spreading to the temple's main hall, a largely wooden structure. The cause of the fire was under investigation, Kang said.
Korea Herald
29-05-2025
- General
- Korea Herald
Seon templestay: Know thyself through meditation
Jogye Order's seon meditation retreats woo young people seeking emotional fortitude Meditation has long been a source of spiritual and mental comfort — when practiced properly. 'How to do just that is a question I've been asked numerous times,' said the Ven. Bogak, the templestay director at Jogyesa, the chief temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the largest Buddhist sect in Korea. Buddhism is the mother of all meditation, Bogak said. That thinking, long shared within the Jogye Order, has prompted it to roll out a new templestay program focusing on 'seon meditation,' or repeatedly questioning one's inner self and surroundings until the mind reboots. Of the 158 temples offering templestay programs, 13, including Jogyesa in Seoul, currently offer programs featuring seon meditation. Meditation at Jogyesa The two-day meditation program at Jogyesa starts at 2 p.m., with guests changing into the gray robes of Buddhist practitioners and sitting down on the floor for an introduction to Buddhist courtesies like touching the palms together when bowing to monks. Then begins the 108 prostrations ceremony, a Buddhist ritual in which practitioners chant 108 mantras and perform deep bows 108 times. 'You're encouraged to clear your mind while doing it,' said Cha Kyung-suk, a volunteer at Jogyesa who demonstrates deep bowing. Cha acknowledges that the ritual is physically challenging, requiring over 20 minutes to complete. Following the prostrations, the participants — averaging between 10 and 15 per session — prepare to lie on their backs with eyes closed to await instructions from Bogak, the Jogyesa templestay director. The nun starts playing resonant instruments like singing bowls and chimes. The tones and vibrations are meant to wash away emotional burdens and soothe the mind, she said. Immersion in sound, often called a 'sound bath,' is a quick way to declutter the mind and it enables templestay participants to initiate their own introspection, she explained. The seon meditation session includes a regular Buddhist service that takes place at 6 p.m. every day. The service, held at Jogyesa's main hall, Daeungjeon, involves chanting mantras and bowing before the seated Sakyamuni Buddha flanked by two bodhisattvas, one representing wisdom and the other spiritual practice. Dinner at the temple — made without meat, fish, dairy, garlic, spring onion, chives and leeks to avoid stimulating the libido — wraps up the first day. Participants have to go to bed by 9 p.m. Buddhist routines The second day starts at 4 a.m., as the sound of monks beating on 'moktak,' a handheld wooden percussion instrument, wakes up participants. They are led to 'Beomjongnu,' a pavilion where monks play, in turn, four Buddhist instruments to 'save souls.' Beating a leather drum called 'beopgo' is believed to save the souls of four-legged creatures, while a fish-shaped wooden drum called 'mogeo' is said to do the same for underwater creatures. 'Unpan,' a cloud-shaped bronze plate, is linked to liberating anything flying from suffering. 'Beomjong,' a Buddhist bell, overpowers all because it 'saves all the souls.' A morning Buddhist service follows, in which participants chant mantras and bow before the Buddha and bodhisattvas. Bogak leads an early morning stroll around the Jogyesa compound, occupied by no one but the templestay participants. The walk is done in silence. The 7 a.m. breakfast essentially concludes the two-day Jogyesa stay. Participants have to check out by 10 a.m. after cleaning up their rooms and leaving a review of their time at the temple. First-timers, many of whom joined out of curiosity, expressed general satisfaction with the program. Kim Ye-ji, 25, said she was drawn to the program by online postings about it. 'The reason I chose Jogyesa was that this main temple had the best reviews,' said Kim, an office worker from Gyeonggi Province. But Kim wasn't entirely without regrets, noting she had hoped for more direct engagement with the chief monk overseeing the program. 'Meditation by definition should be done alone, but beginners have more questions than answers. They want a personal touch that leads to something they can take home,' Kim added. Seon templestay is offered at many temples throughout the country, including Naksansa in Gangwon Province; Magoksa in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province; Baegyangsa in South Jeolla Province; and Tongdosa in Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province.
