Successor Jeong Joeun Acknowledges Jeong Myungsuk's Crimes... Is JMS Splitting?

Public Outrage Grows Against JMS as Jeong Myungsuk's Crimes Are Exposed
Jeong Joeun: "I Pleaded with Jeong Myungsuk to Reject 'Physical Love'"
JMS Responds by Refuting Jeong Joeun's Revelations

Jeong Joeun, the second-in-command who has led the Christian Gospel Mission (commonly known as JMS) since the absence of its leader Jeong Myungsuk, has acknowledged Jeong Myungsuk's crimes. In response, Jeong Myungsuk's side has denied these claims, bringing internal conflicts within JMS to the surface.

On March 13, an edited video was posted on JMS's official platform showing Jeong, widely known as JMS's number two, admitting to Jeong Myungsuk's wrongdoing. The video reportedly captures a worship service held on March 12 at a church overseen by Jeong.

Screenshot of the official trailer for the Netflix documentary series "I Am God: People Abandoned by God." [Image courtesy of Netflix]

In the video, Jeong claims, "I prevented women from coming within three meters of Teacher Jeong Myungsuk," drawing a clear line between herself and Jeong Myungsuk's crimes. She stated, "I only vaguely knew about it," and added, "I was 17 when I was first evangelized. I was too young to fully understand, and there was nothing I could do." Jeong further explained, "Some people within the Providence organization constantly advocated for physical love. I fought against them relentlessly for three years," and added, "For three and a half years, I tearfully pleaded with Teacher Jeong that physical love could never be part of the doctrine."

Jeong also said, "There were times when I was young and swept up by the atmosphere, but now I am repenting," adding, "If there is ever a best opportunity to settle past wrongdoings, it is now." However, she clarified that her revelations had not been coordinated with the denomination.

Jeong is considered a strong candidate to succeed Jeong Myungsuk and has served as JMS's second-in-command while Jeong Myungsuk, accused of sexual assault, has been detained. Jeong was recruited into JMS during high school and reportedly earned Jeong Myungsuk's trust by accompanying him during his time in hiding overseas. It is believed that Jeong's role was crucial in maintaining JMS during Jeong Myungsuk's prolonged absence.

In response to Jeong's revelations, JMS immediately issued a rebuttal. The group, in the name of its council of elders, completely denied the content of Jeong's worship service and also exposed allegations of misconduct by Jeong within the church.

On the afternoon of March 16 last year, at the Lawyers Association Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Huynh Mai Phuong, who suffered sexual violence after the release of Jeong Myungsuk, the leader of the Christian Gospel Mission (JMS) who served 10 years in prison for charges including sexual assault of followers, held a press conference to testify about the damages. Photo by Yonhap News

Recently, as Jeong Myungsuk's sexual crimes have come under renewed scrutiny, internal conflicts within JMS appear to be intensifying. The Netflix documentary "I Am God: People Abandoned by God" thoroughly exposed Jeong Myungsuk's criminal activities. This has led to heightened public criticism of JMS and sparked nationwide outrage as the harms of cults have come to light. Jeong herself was mentioned as "J Sister" in the third episode of the documentary.

Since the release of "I Am God," calls to identify JMS followers have grown, driven by concerns that their missionary activities could further spread cult doctrines and increase the number of victims. In fact, celebrities suspected of being JMS members have publicly announced their departure from the group. When it was revealed that the parents of Kyungyoon, a member of the group DKZ, were JMS followers, they announced their withdrawal. Actor Kang Jiseop also confirmed his departure by sharing a photo of himself breaking a JMS frame.

Meanwhile, Jeong Myungsuk, who claimed to be the Messiah and was convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting female followers, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and released in February 2018. However, from February 2018 to September 2021, he allegedly molested or attempted to rape female followers on 17 occasions, leading to his re-arrest in October last year. He is currently on trial for these charges.