Late South Korean Buddhist monk’s alleged misdeeds back in spotlight after shocking death

The death of an influential South Korean Buddhist monk by apparent suicide through self-immolation has cast the spotlight back on allegations of corruption and misconduct that have plagued him for years.

The 69-year-old Venerable Jaseung’s charred remains were discovered on Thursday among the burned ruins of a temple dormitory, at Chiljang Buddhist Temple in Anseong city, around 80km south of Seoul.

Forensic analysis confirmed the recovered remains belonged to Jaseung, who, for many years, held considerable influence within South Korea’s predominant Buddhist sect, the Jogye Order.

“I’m sorry for causing a lot of trouble by ending my life here … This building will be restored by my disciples. I’m both sorry and grateful,” read a note, apparently handwritten by the monk, that was left in his car parked nearby.

In his farewell message to Buddhists, Jaseung left a Zen-style Nirvana chant that read: “There exists neither life nor death, but there is no place without life and death either. As nothing is left to pursue further, my existence in this world disappears accordingly.”

Surveillance footage reportedly showed Jaseung carrying two plastic containers filled with combustible liquid into the dorm before a blaze whipped through the single floor structure late on Wednesday.

“Venerable Jaseung has awakened all Buddhists with his self-immolation, praying for the stability of the Jogye Order and the salvation of the world through the propagation of the Dharma,” Venerable Wubong, the Jogye Order spokesman, told journalists.

The Jogye Order said it would hold a five-day funeral led by its current leader, Venerable Jinwoo, at Jogye Temple situated in downtown Seoul. A funeral ceremony will take place on Sunday morning.

His death has puzzled many, as he expressed a strong will to help spread Buddhism among young people in the future.

“Jaseung had been concerned about the status and role of Buddhism. He had a strong will to solve the problems facing the order, such as the declining population,” Venerable Jugyeong, head of the order’s legislative organisation, told Yonhap news agency.

Jaseung became a Buddhist monk at age 19 and served two terms as the head of the Jogye Order’s administrative headquarters from 2009-2017, a powerful post with authority to appoint and dismiss abbots at some 3,000 temples nationwide. The position also allowed him to control the financial affairs of the Order and temples.

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The quadrennial election for the post, popularly known as president of Buddhists, which controls both power and money, has been marred by allegations of vote buying and violence in the past.

Jaseung was credited with unifying the country’s strife-ridden Jogye Order under his leadership.

He introduced a rule that would see the Order receive the private assets of a monk following their death. He also increased retired monks’ pension funds and helped spread Korean Buddhism abroad.

But his critics pointed to his apparent hunger for power, accusing him of continuing to wield influence by appointing his followers to key posts even after concluding two consecutive terms as the president – an uncommon occurrence within Buddhist history that dates back centuries.

His eight-year leadership of the sect was also marred by numerous allegations.

In 2018, MBC TV’s investigative news programme, PD Notebook, claimed Jaseung and 15 other senior monks were involved in habitual gambling, and a whistle-blower – a monk named Jangju – was beaten by other monks. A few other senior monks were also accused of secretly keeping wives in breach of celibacy.

Jaseung also allegedly helped arrange a massive monks’ rally last year to protest against the former liberal government’s move to restrict the Order’s right to collect fees from hikers who pass by Buddhist temples located on hills and mountains.

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Buddhism was for centuries prominent in South Korea before the country was open to Western influences in the late 19th century, including successful proselytising by Christian missionaries.

A 2021 Gallup Poll showed among the country’s 51.2 million people, Buddhists accounted for 16 per cent of the population, down from 22 per cent in 2014.

Protestants fell to 17 per cent from 21 per cent and Catholics edged down to six per cent from seven per cent during the same period, with non-believers growing from 47 per cent to 60 per cent in the cited period.