Defense chief-nominee and shady Buddhist group

Defense Minister-nominee Kim Byung-kwan is known to be a member of "Buddha Field," a meditation group that started from a website called “Zenfull” in 2002. The group`s leader Shin heads the religious sect, lives in New Zealand, and has the user name “Gate.” Kim joined the group in 2003 while serving as the commander of the Korean Army`s 7th Corps (lieutenant general). He was certified by Gate for enlightenment. When he headed the 1st Army Corps as a general in 2005, Kim spoke of gaining enlightenment through "an orgasm of his mind" in an interview with the monthly magazine Shin Donga for its August 2005 edition. “I’m reading lots of books related to Buddha Field. It can help rank-and-file soldiers focus on their duties,” he said.

Many suspicions were raised as Kim Jong-eop, director of the Korean Society of Jungshin Science and a member of Buddha Field, described Gate’s sect-like meditation program to Shin Donga in its April 2008 edition. An SBS TV investigative program also covered Gate’s suspicious track record. The spiritual leader claimed of having out-of-body experiences on his own and asked for money to treat cancer. He collected donations with his certification program and managed the funds in an account in other person’s name. He also lived in luxury using a bulletproof vehicle and had VIP casino membership in New Zealand. Gate also claimed in a program that he could make it rain. On the donations, he said, “My members were willing to gave me money.”

Buddha Field went from just 30 members to more than 7,000 members in six years after many celebrities joined. The defense minister nominee who promoted the group by saying, “My wife got enlightened” and the director who exposed the suspicions on Gate both graduated from the Korea Military Academy. Legal professionals, professors and doctors also joined the group. This Internet-based religion rapidly spread by taking advantage of celebrity members.

Kim testified in an interview, “After being enlightened, I overcame my selfishness and felt love for humankind and the country expressed in action.” He apparently has not overcome his selfishness completely, however, as he was found not to have paid inheritance tax, aroused suspicion over real estate speculation, and worked as an adviser to a shady arms dealer. His Buddha Field membership arose when he was about to be promoted to Army chief of staff in 2006, but he did not quit. Government officials have the right to religious freedom, and it is tough to discern if a religion is false or not. Yet questions are inevitable over whether a man who follows a maligned religious leader can lead the country`s military. Given that Kim recommends Buddha Field to his subordinates, whether he can remains religiously neutral as a minister is doubtful.

Ass’t Culture Editor Lee Jin-yeong (ecolee@donga.com)