2024-02-01 18:00:00
On the box are pictures of Catholic symbols, such as rosaries, and words such as “Thank God” and “Amen,” on the card. Chief of Staff Lee Gwan-seop visits the Jogye Order and apologizes.
The Lunar New Year gift box sent by President Yoon Seok-yeol to the Buddhist community depicts a cathedral with a cross (pictured above). The photo below is a prayer enclosed with the gift. The prayer included words such as “Thank you, God, our loving Father,” and “Amen.”
As the packaging of Lunar New Year gifts sent to the Buddhist community in the name of President Yoon Seok-yeol and his wife Kim Kun-hee included crosses, raising controversy regarding religious bias in some circles of the Buddhist community, Presidential Chief of Staff Lee Kwan-seop personally visited Venerable Jin-woo, head of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, and apologized. Director Lee, head of the Buddhist Association in the Presidential Office, explained, “There was absolutely no intention to support or reject a specific religion.”
According to the Jogye Order on the 1st, President Yoon’s Lunar New Year holiday gift that arrived this morning included acacia honey, citron syrup, pine nuts, and shiitake vegetables. Gifts for the Buddhist community excluded Baekilju, a traditional liquor for ceremonial ancestral rites, and beef jerky. The problem is that the gift box contains pictures symbolizing Catholicism, such as a cross, a cathedral, and a woman holding a rosary. This gift box was decorated with art works by patients hospitalized at Sorokdo National Hospital. The gift also included a message card containing a prayer from a person with leprosy. The card contained words such as “Thank you, loving Heavenly Father,” and “Amen.”
As controversy arose in some quarters of the Buddhist community, Director Lee and Hwang Sang-moo, Senior Secretary to the President for Civil Society, met with Venerable Jinwoo at the Korean Buddhist History and Culture Memorial Hall in Jongno-gu, Seoul this followingnoon and offered an apology. Director Lee said, “We were a bit careless and short-thinking, so we showed great disrespect by putting symbols of other religions in the gifts we sent to the monks,” and added, “We will be more careful.” Director Lee promised follow-up measures and prevention of recurrence, including collecting gifts that have not yet arrived, repackaging them, and sending them out. An official from the President’s Office met with reporters and said, “We chose the gift wrapping painting to support people with leprosy who have suffered from disease and prejudice and to hope that Sorokdo will turn into an island of healing.”
Monk Jinwoo said to Director Lee, “I was a little surprised, but I think it’s fortunate that they came so quickly and provided an explanation.” He added, “Please take measures to prevent something like this from happening once more.”
Reporter Lee Sang-heon dapaper@donga.com
Reporter Lee Jin-gu sys1201@donga.com
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