South Korea Religious Tension

Buddhist and Christian are religious that spread over Asia and other continent, these
two religions have grown rapidly in influence only by the mid-20th century, as part of the
profound transformations that the South Korean society has gone through in the past century.
According to CIA world fact book, South Korea religions divide into 3 big group Christian
31.6%,Buddhist 24.2% and non religious 43.3%.Buddhist and Christian does not go very
smooth together and create a lot of tension between each other and politics from the past until
now a day. Nearly half of population are non religious because they be tired fed up to solve
conflict problems. Some Buddhist move to North Korea and make Buddhist be main
religious, it is officially that North Korea is a Korean Buddhist Federation. Number of
Buddhism in North Korea range from 100,000 to a million but in South Korea problems still
there.
South Korea is about 24% of Mahayana Buddhist , According to about religious the
Goryo Period (918-1392) was a time of political unity and stability in Korea, and Buddhism
flourished, supported by the monarchy. Some consider this to be the golden age of Korean
Buddhism. For the next five centuries, the Joseon Dynasty reigned in Korea and suppressed
the practice of Buddhism.Several thousand temples and monasteries were closed, and all
schools but Seon Buddhism faded away in Korea.In 1924 new movement called Won
Buddhism lead by Park Chugbin , Park belived that trikaya the teaching of Buddhist
represented in other religious too. Beginning of Christian to South Korea start from end of
the Japanese in 1945, at beginning it just 2 percent of Korea that are Christian but by 1991it
increase to 25 percent of South Korea populatio.The reason of this increasing number is
during Korean war that United State get involve and appear during this time make it as main
factor that Christian spread in South Korea because as you know main religious of United
State is Christian.
Between 1980 and 1988 tension between religious and political start.Chun dooh hwan
was military general and Christian who serve as President.Chun dooh hwan adopted antiBuddhist policies ,temple were taken over and turn to tourist attractions.During this period of
time Buddhism was the only side that attack by Christian and government. According to
about religion in February 1984 red cross were painting on Buddhist wall in temple in Seoul ,
1987 a fundamentalist Christian was apprehended after setting fire destroy two temple
building. Between 1980 and 1990 it were more than 20 temple that get damaged. The worst
case would be in 1990 two men broke into the studios of a new Buddhist radio station two
days before it was to begin broadcasting. They smashed all of the stations recording and
equipment, using the head of a Buddha to break into recording booths and destroy the
computers and equipment no arrests were made. After this period many people convert to
Christian and make Buddhist be as minority and less role in social. In 1995 young
fundamentalist Christians began a campaign of aggressive proselytizing on the campus of
Dongguk University in Seoul, a Buddhist school, handing out anti-Buddhist literature in front
of the school's main Buddha statue.
In 2000 tension between two religious was became less but in 2008 after Lee Myung
bak became president new round of tension begin again. Transport and Maritime Affairs
published a map of Seoul on its website gave the location of every Christian church but
Buddhist temple doesnt show. In August 2008 big protest around 60,000 people with 700
monks at Seoul to protest religious discrimination , it force Christians to apologize after it hit
a very high level of protest.

The best way to solve problems between this two religious would be make treaty of
peace between this two religious. Treaty would involve that cant encroach each other if with
side start to making conflict result is to deport out of country. Plan to make this treaty is to
offer it during this two religious have big conflict and cant end up with peace, this treaty will
make that conflict to be last conflict and if it happen again result will be deport. Problems
that will face during make treaty would be about acceptable of both side that was very hard to
accept the result but it the best way to solve problems that happen from the past until now a
day and end up with peace.
Religious tension can cause many conflict and affect a lot to politics to govern
country. Religious is very important factor that have in every country and always have new
one after time pass. Conflict and tension between religious can cause by misunderstanding
other religious example in South Korea , Christian believe that teaching of Buddhism is
Teaching of satanaccording to about religious and it start very big conflict between them.
Every people need to open mind to accept other religious so peace will begin and our world
will be peaceful.