Hwajaeng (cooperative resolution) Committee has been created to deal with conflicts within society and issues inside and outside of the Jogye Order. Ven. Jaseung commissioned 14 outstanding members for the committee with nine monastics and five lay people. They are all highly regarded members of society including Ven. Dobeop who was appointed to be the chairperson. The committee will decide on the direction of the committee’s activities to remedy conflicts within society.

At the commencement ceremony, Ven. Jaseung said, “Today our order has take a very meaningful first step. To wisely resolve societal conflicts, we have gathered committee members who have applied Buddhist principles to sincerely empathize with every class and community with an attitude of harmony and collaboration. Lord Buddha and the great masters have taught that conflicts cannot be overcome by anger and opposition, rather by dialogue and understanding. The order will support the committee as much as possible in order for the committee to resolve problems not just temporarily but so that all the interested party will be full of cheer.” He continued, “The committee is to take specialized and independent action for main Jogye Order issues and issues from diverse areas of society for their two-year term. The Hwajaeng Committee is formed by mostly reputable monastics and representatives from NGOs in the fields of environment, human rights, migrant workers, and unification of Korea in order to contribute to the resolution of fighting and conflicts within Korean society. They will work for cooperation and understanding to present ideas to resolve the most serious conflicts and disagreements.”

The Jogye Order made regulations for the committee. There are also diverse divisions such as North/South unification, environment, religious harmony, human rights, social class, ideology, area, generation, sex, race, and multi-culture. The committee will do research, analysis, plan, and strategize to resolve various problems and conflicts within society.