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A proposed South Korean bill that would sanction religious groups accused of systematic political intervention has sparked a fierce backlash from conservative Protestant leaders and opened a wider debate over the constitutional separation of religion and state.

The controversy centers on a bill to prevent political interference by religious groups, an amendment to the Civil Act proposed by independent Rep. Choi Hyuk-jin and governing party lawmakers.

Triggered by a Japanese court’s dissolution order for the Unification Church, the legislation would allow the government to revoke permits and seize the assets of religious organizations that are judged to have interfered in politics and harmed the public interest in violation of election laws.

This move has spotlighted the second clause of Article 20 of the Constitution: “No state religion shall be recognized, and religion and state shall be separated.”

Bill prompts wider church pushback

While the bill is widely seen as targeting the Unification Church and the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a controversial religious sect, conservative Protestant leaders fear it could be applied more broadly.

Conservative pastors view the legislation as a de facto “Church Closure Act.” They argue that the government could use it under the pretext of political interference to crack down on mainstream churches that criticize the administration.

Pastor Son Hyun-bo, a hard-line supporter of impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol, of Segyero Church, led a protest outside the National Assembly on April 1. Speaking later at a seminar hosted by the National Solidarity for the Protection of Freedom of Religion, Son argued that his previous conviction for illegal election campaigning resulted from the government’s misunderstanding of the separation of religion and state.

Professor Jeon Yoon-seong of Soongsil University supported that view at the Na-buteo Forum, saying that most countries define the principle as separating religion and the state, rather than politics and religion.

Pushback is not only coming from conservative churches. Major Protestant umbrella groups, including the United Christian Churches of Korea and the National Council of Churches in Korea, warned that the bill’s ambiguity leaves room for administrative abuse.

Christian nationalism in U.S.

This defense of political preaching mirrors the rise of Christian nationalism in the United States, a key support base for Donald Trump.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a pro-Trump Republican, has described the phrase “separation of church and state” as a “misnomer,” arguing that it was meant to keep the government out of the church, not faith out of public policy.

That line of argument gained urgency during tensions over the war with Iran, when Pastor Franklin Graham described the conflict as a just war at a White House Easter event and prayed for God to bless the military.

Church scholars warn against politicization

Mainstream denominations have tried to distance themselves from conservative factions that aligned with far-right activists following the Dec. 3 martial law declaration.

Kim Joo-han, a theology professor at Hanshin University, said the separation principle serves as a normative device to prevent religion from becoming a politically empowered interest group.

Lim Sung-bin, former president of Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary, warned that mixing faith too closely with political power compromises religious messages for political gain.

“This can weaken the moral authority of religion,” Lim said.

Similarly, a group of 400 U.S. pastors and theologians recently released an appeal pushing back against Christian nationalism, arguing that using religion to deify politicians turns faith into a weapon of heresy and hypocrisy.

As the constitutional debate dominates the discourse, focus on regulating religious groups deemed harmful to society has drifted.

Debate shifts to long-term solutions

The Korean Society of Church Law proposed a special law explicitly targeting Shincheonji and the Unification Church, though critics argue that singling out specific groups sets a dangerous precedent.

Instead, experts advocate for victim support and public awareness over legal punishment, pointing to Britain’s Information Network Focus on Religious Movements and Japan’s National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales — or deceptive religious fundraising — as models.

“As it is now, when a heresy issue arises, if it is used merely as a distraction or to politically attack opponents, effective solutions cannot be developed,” said Tak Ji-il, a professor at Busan Presbyterian University.

“Instead of the control and surveillance of religion, we must take a gradual approach to finding sustainable solutions that foster a healthy religious culture,” he said.

Fatima, a third-generation Palestinian studying in Korea, was shocked to learn that Korean President Lee Jae Myung had recently called out Israel on social media. 

“Palestinians have been ignored by the international community for decades now, so it’s very encouraging to see the leaders of other countries explicitly condemn Israel’s crimes,” said the 22-year-old, who asked not to be identified by her real name.  

For Palestinians, it’s a rare experience indeed for the leader of a country outside the Middle East — a country without any direct stake in Palestine — to directly hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law.

“Not being there, it’s hard to say for certain, but what I see on Instagram and X [formerly known as Twitter] suggests that Palestinians and their allies are happy about Lee’s remarks,” Fatima told the Hankyoreh on Sunday.

Palestinians residing in Korea and pro-Palestine organizations welcomed Lee’s public criticism of Israel over the past few days — criticism that Lee made with the full knowledge it would arouse friction with Israeli diplomats.

Even as that criticism fuels a fierce debate in the political and diplomatic communities about whether Lee’s off-the-cuff messages serve Korea’s national interest, Palestinians and associated advocacy groups, who have long been isolated on the international stage, seem to be getting a shot in the arm.

“Lee’s remarks spread across social media and have been received enthusiastically by many Palestinians and activists in Gaza,” said Saleh Al-Rantisi, a 29-year-old Gaza native who has lived in Korea since 2022. “My mother, who is also from Gaza but currently resides in Egypt, contacted me after seeing Lee’s comments on the news and told me how happy that made her.”
 
The coalition advocacy group Urgent Action by South Korean Civil Society in Solidarity with Palestine said in a statement released Saturday that it had been “pleasantly surprised” by Lee’s remarks. 

“This is the first time in the last two and a half years of genocide that a Korean president has directly mentioned Israel’s war crimes in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, otherwise known as [the] Occupied Palestinian territory,” the statement read. 

The group also said this was the first time that a Korean president had gone “beyond the typical diplomatic rhetoric that calls for peace and humanitarian aid,” noting that Lee “specifically named Israel as the perpetrator and compared Israel’s war crimes to historical crimes against humanity, saying that ‘international humanitarian law must be upheld in all situations.’”
 
“Even though it is very late, we once again welcome the Korean government stating that it will finally join people of conscience around the world,” the group said. 

On X, numerous users and journalists from the Middle East have commented on the unprecedented and encouraging nature of Lee’s comments.
 
“South Korea said what Germany and others won’t: past suffering doesn’t justify present brutality. When a country like South Korea says it plainly, it exposes how much others are choosing not to. This isn’t lack of clarity. It’s lack of spine,” wrote Ghida Fakhry, a Lebanese-British journalist and former lead anchor for Al Jazeera.
 
Pro-Palestine groups argued that Lee’s message needs to be followed up by concrete action. In its statement, Urgent Action urged the government to restrict exports of heavy equipment and military technology to Israel to “stop the use of Korean weapons in the genocide.” 
 
“Providing weapons to Israel means that the Korean government is also complicit in its crimes against Palestinians. I hope that Koreans join the boycott of Israeli products and companies, and understand the real history of Palestine,” Fatima said.

By Cho Hae-young, staff reporter

SEOUL, April 16 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung pledged Thursday to make utmost efforts not to repeat a disaster that was seen in the 2014 Sewol ferry sinking, saying that he felt "heavy responsibility" over the maritime disaster. 

A total of 304 people, mostly teenagers on a high school trip, died when the Sewol ferry sank April 16, 2014, as the overloaded ship capsized. 

"I pledge to do my utmost to ensure that the lives and safety of the people are never again threatened due to money or the absence of the state," Lee said during a meeting with senior aides.

He underscored the need for comprehensive efforts to prevent such tragedies, calling for continued support for the victims and stronger safeguards to prioritize public safety.

"We must remember the pain of the tragedy and warmly embrace the wounds of the victims, while eradicating the misguided perception that places cost above safety and profit above human life," he said.

Later in the day, Lee attended a memorial ceremony in Ansan, southwest of Seoul, to commemorate the 12th anniversary of the disaster. It marked the first time a sitting president has attended such a ceremony related to the sinking.

"I feel a heavy sense of responsibility as the president of the Republic of Korea," Lee said.

"We all witnessed what happens when a country fails to fulfill its duty to protect the lives and safety of its people," he added. "I vow not to forget, even for a moment, the mistakes and heavy lessons of that day to ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated."