[Exclusive] Chief Secretary Kang Hoonshik to Visit President of Jogye Order Today... Discussing National Unity

Buddhist Community Requests Formation of Cheongbulhoe...
Discussion on Cheongbulhoe Presidency Also Underway
First Meeting Since President Lee's July Gathering with Leaders of Seven Major Religions
Presidential Office Designates This Week as 'Bal

On November 12, Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoonshik will pay a courtesy visit to Venerable Jinwoo, the President of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

According to the Office of the President, Kang is scheduled to meet Venerable Jinwoo at Jogyesa Temple in Jongno, Seoul, on this day to once again request the cooperation of the religious community regarding national unity. This comes four months after President Lee Jaemyung met with leaders of the seven major religions on July 7. Venerable Jinwoo serves as both the President of the Jogye Order and the Co-Chair of the Korean Council of Religious Leaders.

An official from the Office of the President stated, "Chief of Staff Kang will pay a courtesy visit to Venerable Jinwoo for a tea meeting," adding, "There have been requests from the Buddhist community to form the Cheongbulhoe (Blue House Buddhist Association), and this meeting will be an opportunity to listen to valuable opinions on communication with the Buddhist community and national unity." It was previously discussed that Kang might assume the presidency of the Cheongbulhoe at the request of the Buddhist community, but it has been decided to discuss this further at a later time. The Cheongbulhoe, a Buddhist association of Blue House officials, was established in 1996. During the administration of former President Kim Youngsam, the association was launched in August 1996, led by Park Seil, Senior Secretary for Social Welfare, and Lee Gakbum, Senior Secretary for Policy Planning.

Yonhap News Agency

Previously, on July 9, President Lee, during a luncheon meeting with leaders of the seven major religions, stated, "Our society has become excessively divided and conflicts have intensified. The role of religious leaders is crucial," requesting their cooperation. Kang's visit is therefore interpreted as an effort to shift the focus of state affairs back to the task of national unity following the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. The Office of the President has designated this week as "Balanced Growth and Integration Week," aligning key schedules accordingly. A ruling party official also commented, "Chief of Staff Kang is scheduled to visit the President of the Jogye Order," adding, "He plans to listen to the voices of not only the President but also the followers."

Since the beginning of President Lee's term, the Office of the President has accelerated communication with the religious community. On July 7, President Lee began by meeting Cardinal You Heung-sik (Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy at the Vatican), and on July 9, he invited leaders of the seven major religious orders to the Presidential Office in Yongsan for a luncheon under the theme "The Path to Social Integration, Together with Religion." Leaders from Buddhism (Jogye Order, Cheontae Order, Taego Order), Catholicism, Protestantism, Won Buddhism, Confucianism, Cheondoism, and indigenous religions attended. President Lee expressed his hope that "the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation, and inclusiveness in religion will permeate our society, and that the role and responsibility of the religious community will continue to grow," and urged them to "fulfill the role of elders."

Meanwhile, after the courtesy visit, Kang is expected to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on November 13 as a "Special Envoy for Strategic Economic Cooperation" to discuss defense industry collaboration. An official from the Office of the President stated, "He will visit the UAE to promote cooperation in the defense sector." As the UAE is a major importer of Korean defense products, Kang is expected to meet with high-level officials to discuss bilateral cooperation, including the purchase of Korean weapons systems.

Previously, after his appointment as special envoy last month, Kang visited Poland, Romania, and Norway to conduct "K-Defense" diplomacy. During the APEC summit in Gyeongju, he also reportedly held closed-door defense talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada, among others.