Jogye Order Holds a New Year’s Press Conference

Jogye Order President Ven. Jaseung Holds 2017 New Year’s Press Conference

“Let Us Build a More Equal Society without Discrimination”

The president of the Jogye Order, Most Venerable Jaseung, reaffirmed the Order’s commitment to building a more equal society without discrimination during the New Year’s conference held at the Center for Korean Buddhist History and Culture on January 10.

Some of the key projects that the Jogye Order intends to implement throughout the year 2017 outlined at the conference include:

1.      Restoring the sense of Sangha community and monastic identity by improving monastic welfare system and ensuring stability later in life for Buddhist monks and nuns;

2.      Establishing the “Historic and Cultural Tourism Belt” centered on Jogyesa Temple at Gyeonji-dong by linking up with nearby major tourist attractions, such as Gyeongbokgung Palace, Insa-dong and Bukchon Hanok Village for cultural experience of both Korean Buddhism and Confucian traditions;

3.      Assisting the effort to enact the “Anti-discrimination Act” in order to realize equal and fair society, as stated on the 11. 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, “All citizens shall be equal before the law,” by abolishing privileges and preventing any form of discrimination;

4.      Working hard for the repatriation of the sacred Buddhist cultural properties stolen and displaced by publishing the Stolen Buddhist Cultural Properties in January 2017 and forming cooperative network with relevant institutions both in Korea and overseas;

5.      Making utmost effort for the inscription of Sansa, Buddhist Mountain Monasteries in Korea (Tongdosa, Buseoksa, Bongjeongsa, Beopjusa, Magoksa, Seonamsa and Daeheungsa) on the UNESCO World Heritage List so that the values of Korean Buddhism could be more widely known throughout the world;

6.      Providing support to salvage Sewol and recover the bodies still trapped inside by holding prayer ceremonies and opening a prayer hall at the site of the tragedy;  

7.      Reforming Buddhist practice and renewing ideal principles of Buddhists in an attempt to put essential teachings of the Buddha into practice in our daily lives;

8.      Initiating the plan to build the “Buddhist Cultural Properties Preservation Center” in Wirye New Town and the “Center for Promotion and Experience of Korean Buddhist Culture” in Sejong Special Autonomous City;

9.      Holding a special exhibition marking the 10^th anniversary of the Central Buddhist Museum which can shed light on the achievements so far and future plans of the Museum;

10.  Completing the 5-year project of translating 10 selected contemporary Korean Buddhist publications into English to offer academic sources for international scholars in Buddhist studies.