Shinchonji Illegally Occupies Peace Plaza and Holds Massive Event

The Kukmin Daily, South Korea/September 21, 2015

By Paek Sang-hyun

It is reported that “Shinchonji Church of Jesus the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony” (Shinchonji) illegally occupied and used the Peace Plaza at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, on September 18 to celebrate the first anniversary of the “World Alliance of Religions Peace Summit” (WARP). 

The Korea Sports Promotion Foundation (KSPO) immediately posted a notice on its website saying, “The event currently being held in the Peace Plaza at Olympic Park has not received approval. Therefore we give notice that it is an illegitimate event and an illegal occupation by the organizers. KSPO, as the facility’s manager, has strongly urged the organizers to close down the event, but they are forcefully resisting the order and continuing to carry it out.”

A person related to KSPO explained, “Last month when Shinchonji applied to use the venue, the screening committee rejected the application. Then on September 17, at around 11 p.m., approximately 800 Shinchonji believers invaded the Peace Plaza, blocked the police when they tried to intervene, and set up their event.”

The online news site “newscj.com” of Chonji Ilbo, which some speculate is an advocacy agent for Shinchonji, posted an article titled “First Anniversary of WARP Report - Peace Roars in Olympic Park,” reporting that “57,000 persons gathered for the event from all parts of country… The participants became one in this peace event lasting longer than three hours, overcoming their differences of generation, gender, and nationality.” Chonji Ilbo mentioned nothing about the event’s illegitimacy. 

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