Bitter Winter A magazine on religious liberty and human rights Shincheonji members protest after the murder.On June 16 a man knocked at the door at the office of his wife’s younger brother in Jeongeup The man and his wife were legally divorced but due to economic reasons they had still shared the same apartment violence by the husband had become intolerable and the wife escaped to the house of her brother and his wife The man entered the office of his brother-in-law and demanded that his wife come back to his home immediately He killed his ex-wife and her sister-in-law and seriously wounded his ex-wife’s brother Korean public opinion was shocked by the crime and demanded severe punishment for the assassin He emerged in interviews with relatives and friends as a sordid character He also tried to persuade her to have extramarital affairs by stating that he got sexually aroused when picturing his wife’s intimate relationships with others However, two days after the murder, a Christian TV network called CBS (Christian Broadcasting System) managed to shortly interview the man when he was being taken back to prison by the police after the judicial interrogation, and to have him state that he had committed the crime because the wife was a member of a Christian new religious movement, Shincheonji “It is because of the Shincheonji religion,” he said CBS has a story of virulent attacks against groups it labels as “heresies” and “cults.” It openly supports deprogramming kidnapping of adult members of new religious movements They then detain their daughters and sons in secluded places where they try to break their faith and induce them to leave the “cults” with the help of self-styled “experts” who are Christian pastors Shincheonji post-murder protests denounced the role of CBS.Deprogramming has been declared illegal in all democratic countries More than 3,000 members of Shincheonji have been kidnapped in South Korea for purposes of deprogramming Two female Shincheonji devotees have died in connection with deprogramming Kim Sun-Hwa (1959–2007) was beaten with a metal bar and killed by her ex-husband whom she had divorced after the deprogramming instigated by him had failed Gu Ji-In (1992–2018) was bound and gagged by her father while she was trying to escape deprogramming which caused suffocation and eventually death The incident generated massive street protests and was mentioned by the U.S who asked South Korean authorities to put a halt to the illegal practice of deprogramming before the Christian pastors involved in deprogramming and the media spreading hate speech against Shincheonji It came out that the day before the crime the assassin had consulted with Pastor Oh Myeong-hyeon a deprogrammer and “heresy counselor” associated with a coercive conversion facility called Heresy Research Center Certainly Pastor Oh did not suggest that the man kills his wife but he admitted he had advised him against meeting her in a public place such as a coffee shop (from which she could have easily escaped) and had excited his hatred of Shincheonji Another moment of the anti-CBS protests.While personal motivations certainly played a role Pastor Oh and CBS tried to switch the positions of victims and perpetrators Shincheonji was the victim in the incident yet Oh and Christian media called for Shincheonji to be punished they claimed with a twisted and perverse logic that the poor assassin would not have killed her and would not have to spend the rest of his life in jail the Jeongeup murder is the poisonous fruit of a tree with three roots The first is the illegal activities of the deprogrammers and the criminal business of forced conversions It has been legally stopped in all other democratic countries have been accused of willingly spread COVID-19 after one female devotee was misdiagnosed with a common cold This happened during the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis and the medical staff did not think of the virus particularly because she had not recently visited any foreign country Before being correctly diagnosed with COVID-19 she attended church services and infected co-religionists Shincheonji immediately moved all its services online It was requested to supply the authorities a full list of its members and subsequent investigations found only minimal omissions and mistakes in a list of some 300,000 names In first and second degree, and on August 12, 2022, at the Supreme Court of South Korea Chairman Lee and Shincheonji were found not guilty of any breach of COVID-19 regulations It was acknowledged they had in fact fully cooperated with the health authorities those hostile to the movement continue to spread fake news that Shincheonji tried to sabotage the anti-COVID efforts It is even alleged that its members gathered in crowded meetings believing that prayer would protect them from the virus—a total lie Thousands gathered to protest against the murder and the slander campaign that had targeted Shincheonji.The third root of the violence is the hate speech against Shincheonji disseminated by Christian anti-heresy media some 10,000 protesters attended rallies in front of the CBS headquarters demanding an apology I served as the Representative of the OSCE the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and religious intolerance and discrimination Hate speech and hate crimes were a crucial part of my portfolio Not all those who are exposed to hate speech commit hate crimes The assassin’s ex-wife and her sister-in-law were not responsible for it and lost their precious lives The murderer was responsible but those who excited his mind with anti-Shincheonji hate speech were not innocent either but not against Shincheonji or the so-called “cults.” It needs a law aligning South Korea with other democratic countries by outlawing the crime of deprogramming and forced conversion and punishing hate speech against religious minorities.    From 2012 to 2015 he served as chairperson of the Observatory of Religious Liberty instituted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to monitor problems of religious liberty on a worldwide scale Lorsque des nouveaux mouvements religieux sont victimes de violences leurs opposants lancent immédiatement des campagnes pour démontrer que « c’est de leur faute » A “World Association Against Heresy” organizes world tours of Korean pastors asking democratic countries to deport Church of Almighty God asylum seekers back to China the leader of the movement has been excommunicated by the Catholic Church Scholars and human rights activists protest the scandal of the rental of a park by Shincheonji cancelled at the last minute on a pretext after a slander campaign CESNURVia Confienza 1910121 TorinoItalyinfo@bitterwinter.org Copyright © 2025 · Bitter Winter · PRIVACY POLICY· COOKIE POLICY Firefighters on Saturday survey the charred remains of Daeungjeon hall at Naejang Temple in Jeongeup North Jeolla after a disgruntled monk torched the building the heavy jackets come out from the depths of their closets and trees everywhere start to dress up in their seasonal flaming reds With autumn in Korea seemingly getting shorter every year travelers are gearing up and preparing to traverse the country to get the most out of the season at popular destinations for leaf peeping With the fall foliage expected to be most spectacular from late October through early November the maple and ginkgo trees that line the streets of most major cities will delight pedestrians as they go about their days But with nearly 70 percent of Korea covered in forested mountains one of the best ways to fully enjoy fall is to visit Buddhist temples tucked away deep in the woods Following are some of the country's best fall getaway destinations if you're looking to take a weekend trip and be surrounded by the vivid hues of the season Some 170 kilometers east of Seoul in Gangwon Province the highland county of Inje welcomes visitors with a splendid mountain range that can easily be spotted from practically anywhere in the area is expected to see its fall foliage peak on Monday the Buddhist temple Baekdamsa is likely to be one of the earliest places to be covered in color After a 15-minute bus ride from the temple’s parking lot visitors arrive at the beautiful temple hidden deep in the mountains Two separate one-way bus tickets (2,500 won for adults 1,200 won for those under 19) need to be purchased for the round-trip which serves as the entrance to the temple is a perfect spot for photos against a background of colorful trees a fast flowing river and countless handmade stone towers is often filled with families and friends searching for flat sturdy rocks to use in building their own stone towers in order to make a wish and pray for good fortune Those ready for a hike can follow a trail to Suryeomdong shelter at Seoraksan National Park some 300 kilometers south of Seoul in South Jeolla Province the renowned temple at Jirisan has everything one could want to fulfill their fall-focused travels including blazing colors of the foliage and silver grass Sunshine” and this year's hit “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” have already made Cheoneunsa a sought-after tourist destination but the temple is at its most beautiful when shrouded in red The region expects to see its peak fall foliage in late October Many visitors can be spotted taking selfies on the stone bridge called Suhongru to capture the moment with loved ones a 30-minute detour to visit the nearby Cheoneun Reservoir is recommended the 3.3-kilometer circular trail Sangseangui-gil is more than sufficient for enjoying the fall mood while walking along the straw-covered path and silver grass Those interested in spending more time at the temple to live as the monks do can apply for a templestay program via Cheoneunsa's website the historic temple Yongmunsa offers a magnificent view of fall foliage with its iconic ginkgo trees stretching from the Yongmunsan Tourist Information Center to the ticketing booth are a favorite spot for many looking to capture fall pictures with loved ones the sounds of traffic near the parking lot die away and are replaced by the chirping of birds A 20-minute walk brings you to the temple's wooden entrance gate Cheonwangmun the ancient tree grabs the limelight this time of year with its bright yellow ginkgo leaves 1,700 won for teenagers and 1,000 won for children The peak for fall foliage at Yongmunsa is expected for Oct Located in Naejangsan National Park in North Jeolla Province a long archway stretching from the park’s entrance to the temple lined with over 100 maple trees on both sides of the road Visitors can either walk or take a shuttle from the entrance to the temple Round-trip tickets are 2,000 won for adults and 1,000 won for children One of the unique features of Naejangsa is the small stone statue of a Buddhist monk at which people toss coins into a pond while making a wish For a spectacular panoramic view of the entire Naejangsan ridge consider hopping on the cable car that takes riders to the summit within five minutes Tickets cost 9,000 won for those 16 and older and 6,000 won for the children Visitors can also enjoy splendid images of the traditional Korean pavilion Uhwajeong located near the cable car ticketing booth According to the forest authority and Naejangsa officials the peak date of fall foliage here is expected in early November a renowned site known for its beautiful seasonal landscape the peaceful area around Beopjusa is home to various wildlife and colorful trees After a five- to seven-minute walk along the Nature Interpretive Trail in Songnisan National Park visitors can fully immerse themselves in nature along the short Sejo-gil trail who enjoyed a leisurely stroll at the trail several hundred years ago Home to three National Treasures and a 33-meter-tall Golden Maitreya Statue Beopjusa is an all-time favorite travel destination for its historical significance and beautiful scenery 2,500 won for teenagers and 1,000 won for children under 13 If you want to exercise while enjoying the fall scenery the mountain trail to Daejeonsa may be an option Daejeonsa offers a scenic view with Buddhist architecture and a tall ginkgo tree accentuated by oval-shaped rocks at its back the colors of autumn at Beopjusa and Daejeonsa are expected to start around Monday to Wednesday Latest trends in Korean culture and society South Koreans get creative with Parents’ Day gifts Inside Korea's empty classrooms and efforts to reimagine them Brewing heritage: How Korea’s traditional alcohol is finding new life From fad to lifestyle: Slow-aging diet gains momentum among young Koreans Love on repeat: 14th of every month is special day for lovers in Korea From AI Jesus to virtual shamans: How artificial intelligence is reshaping faith YonhapSoil and rocks swept down a hillside onto a road in the southwestern city of Jeongeup on Thursday night and struck a passing taxi fire authorities said Friday.The taxi was passing Local Highway 29 in Jeongeup earth and sand slid down from the hill near a reservoir at 11:50 p.m onto about a 100-meter section of the road but the driver fled for safety and was unharmed they said.The landslide caused the highway linking Boseong in South Jeolla Province to Seosan in South Chungcheong Province to be closed to traffic and the town nearby suffered a power outage for some time.Local officials said there is little chance of other injuries with the security camera in the road only showing the taxi passing by at the time The restoration work will begin as soon as the safety of the workers is secured All Headlines North Korea Sports Top News Most Viewed Korean Newspaper Headlines Today in Korean History Yonhap News Summary Editorials from Korean Dailies (ATTN: UPDATES throughout with more details) March 5 (Yonhap) -- A fire tore through the main hall of Naejang Temple one of South Korea's oldest Buddhist temples on Friday in a suspected arson attack by a disgruntled monk Firefighters received the initial report of the fire at the temple in the southwestern city of Jeongeup at around 6:30 p.m The blaze burned down the wooden Daewungjeon building while firefighters were trying to stop it from spreading to other structures This photo provided by firefighters in North Jeolla Province shows Daewungjeon of Naejang Temple in Jeongeup engulfed in flames on March 5 The fire was largely under control at 9:10 p.m. but police said the affected building is highly likely to crumble down Police later apprehended a suspected arsonist The monk was found to have had a feud with other members of the temple recently "It is presumed that (the monk) might have committed the arson in anger over the internal feud," a police officer noted First built in 636 during the reign of King Mu of the Baekje Kingdom (18 BC-668 AD) the temple burned down during Japan's invasion of the Korean Peninsula under the Joseon Dynasty from 1597-1598 and again in 1951 during the Korean War (1950-53) Another fire caused by a short circuit destroyed Daewungjeon in October 2012 along with all its Buddhist statues and paintings inside All News National Economy/Finance Biz Culture/K-pop Images Videos Korean Newspaper Headlines Korea in Brief Useful Links Weather Advertise with Yonhap News Agency Some local councilors in Jeollabuk-do have enacted ordinances to support the gatherings of former city and county councilors According to Jeollabuk-do Province and others on the 2nd and Gochang County Council enacted ordinances to support the council or the council Iksan City Council created an ordinance to provide subsidies to the council The reason is that they can learn about their long experience in legislative activities and promote various public interest projects such as research and research on ways to improve the local autonomy system and develop parliament it is pointed out that it is not appropriate to provide taxpayers' money to a group of former lawmakers who share friendship subsidies of 3 to 9 million won per year have been received seven times since 2009 and used for food and garbage collection campaigns there was a suggestion from the Ministry of Legislation that ordinances that provide budget support to former assembly members could not be stipulated pointing out that ordinances of some local councils should be abolished the Ministry of Government Legislation said that subsidies should not be set as ordinances saying that the council is seen as an organization whose main purpose is to socialize and that the contents of the project are too comprehensive and broad ※ This service is provided by machine translation tool It was confirmed that all fingers were cut off from the body of a Korean in his 30s who was killed in Pattaya The victim was found in a drum filled with cement and police believe there was harsh torture before his death One out of three Korean men identified as the culprits was arrested in Jeongeup The Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency's Criminal Mobility Unit said on the 13th that it is investigating A in his 20s on charges of killing a tourist in his 30s living in Gimhae and dumping his body in a reservoir (murder and abandonment of the body) along with two accomplices in Pattaya The incident dates back to the last seven days The mother of a man in his 30s living in Gimhae received a threatening call from an unknown man "Your son threw away the drugs and suffered damage but if you don't pay 3 million baht (about 110 million won) as ransom B's mother immediately reported her disappearance to 112 and contacted the Korean Embassy in Thailand to ask for her son's personal protection the embassy and the Korean police asked the Thai police for cooperation Local police began an investigation and confirmed that B entered Thailand on the 30th of last month and was last seen at a club in Bangkok's Huwai Bang area on the 2nd the police have checked closed-circuit (CC) TV around the club and found out that two Koreans drove B to Pattaya at 2 a.m on the 3rd and transferred him to another pickup truck and that they rented accommodation near a reservoir in Pattaya The pickup truck left the property with a black object in the luggage compartment at 9 p.m and parked near the reservoir for about an hour before returning to the property the police deployed divers to the reservoir on the 11th to find the body of B who died in a plastic container filled with cement The victim was found with all his fingers cut off The police identified a total of three Korean suspects in the process The police later confirmed the entry and confirmed that A the Gyeongnam Provincial Criminal Mobility Unit has arrested him urgently at 7:46 p.m A responded to the police's arrest in good order but it is reported that he denies all charges until now The remaining accomplices who fled to the area were in their 30s and the police began tracking down with the possibility that they fled to Vietnam and Cambodia An investigation is currently underway whether it is drug involvement or simple kidnapping "We are continuing to pursue the whereabouts of the other two accomplices through international cooperation." a subsidiary of SKC that produces copper foil for secondary batteries the company is moving its production center from Korea to overseas SK Nexilis has been receiving applications for voluntary retirement since this month Subjects are employees with at least five years of service and key personnel maintain employment to prevent technology leakage SK Nexilis's voluntary retirement is the first since it was acquired by SK Group in 2020 "We are preemptively reducing domestic fixed costs to create a global production system in the long term." SK Nexilis is in charge of researching and developing new products at its Jeongeup plant in Jeollabuk-do in the future and is promoting a production system in which overseas factories are based in mass production of products "The biggest challenge now is to improve profitability by transferring the volume of the Jeongeup plant which has relatively low cost competitiveness SK Nexilis is operating its first plant in Malaysia and is building an additional second plant A new factory is under construction in Poland Malaysia's first plant has achieved a yield comparable to that of the current Jeongeup plant in Korea and is known to have low electricity and low labor costs from abundant hydropower It is analyzed that the recent sluggish performance caused by the electric vehicle cascade (temporary demand stagnation) also affected voluntary retirement SK Nexilis' operating loss in the first quarter was KRW 39.9 billion (ATTN: UPDATES with details of police probe May 13 (Yonhap) -- A man in his 20s has been arrested in South Korea on suspicion of involvement in the murder and abandonment of the body of a South Korean tourist in Pattaya The suspect was nabbed at his residence in the southwestern city of Jeongeup on Sunday evening and put under emergency arrest according to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency Police have been tracing the whereabouts of the suspect who is one of the three South Koreans suspected of kidnapping and murdering a South Korean national in his 30s in Pattaya Thai police discovered the victim's body inside a black plastic container filled with cement in a reservoir in Pattaya after his mother received a warning from an unknown man that her son would be killed if a ransom was not paid according to local media and the South Korean Embassy in Thailand The South Korean police confirmed that one of the three suspects had returned to his home country from Thailand last week and through surveillance cameras tracked him down at his home for arrest The suspect was said to have denied all charges brought against him during an overnight police interrogation Police plan to request an arrest warrant for the man and look into the whereabouts of the two remaining accomplices in cooperation with Thai police "Details of the case cannot be disclosed as it is currently under investigation," a police official said Local police discover the body of a 34-year-old South Korean tourist inside a black plastic container filled with cement from a reservoir in Pattaya in this photo from a Thailand media company Fact Checked By Ben Jenks The longest golf hole in the world is a 1097-yard par 7 It’s in South Korea at Gunsan Country Club at the Jeongeup Course The second longest golf hole in the world is at the Sano Course at Satsuki Golf Club in Japan at 964 yards followed by Meadow Farms in Virginia at 841 yards But that’s not all; here are the top 8 longest golf holes in the world: The longest golf hole I’ve ever played was a 600+ yards Par-5 in the North of Pakistan and I’d be low-key jealous of golfers who can say they’ve played some of the longest golf holes in the world If you’re down for the ultimate golfing bucket list check out this list for the longest golf holes in the world The longest golf hole in the world is the legendary hole #3 at Gunsan Country Club in South Korea This never-ending 1097-yard par-7 is located at an abandoned salt field and is extremely difficult to play The hole has a stroke index of 1, and scoring a par here would highlight my golfing career. However, for that, I’d need to drive like Bryson DeChambeau and I don’t see that happening anytime soon For the second longest golf hole in the world where the Satsuki Golf Club hosts the 964-yard par 7 and as long as you stay on the fairway and don’t go OB The best part about this hole is the views The course is located in the middle of the beautiful mountains of Japan The Meadow Farms hole #12 is the third longest in the world but the longest golf hole in the United States. You’ll need a lot of carry distance if you want to have a decent score on this 841-yard par-6 The golf course offers you 27 holes with breathtaking views including a unique hole in the shape of a baseball diamond you can take this challenge and play one of the longest golf holes in the world The Links is a small golf retirement community housing its 200-acre golf course With the breathtaking backdrop of the Smokey Mountains this hole is a beautiful challenge of 808-yard par 6 I can’t imagine what seniors who regularly play this course feel about this extensive golf hole Another notable hole at the Kahite Course is their challenging hole 18 has hosted multiple competitions and state golf events you can play the longest golf hole in Europe in Romania at the Theodora Golf Club with the highlight being the 804-yard par-6 hole 18 This hole offers golfers quite the challenge as it’s on an island surrounded by a 5-hectare lake You get to enjoy the chilly Romanian climate while making your way through sand bunkers You would think that one of Europe’s longest golf holes would be in Spain or the UK This par-6 is not only a challenging hole but arguably one of the most beautiful golf locations in the world The mastermind behind this beautiful course is Nicklaus Design so you already know that everything from the scenery to the design and challenges will be top-tier Fun Fact: This course is where Rhys Enoch took home the 2019 European Challenge trophy has a beautiful mountainous background in a quiet and peaceful location The highlight of this course is their 777-yard par-6 which golfers call “a long ball hitter’s dream.” This hole is the perfect opportunity to whip out your driver and leave nothing in the bag but the thick grass and rugged landscape still add to the challenge Playing TPC Colorado is a dream for golfers The 13th hole at TPC is not only one of the biggest holes in the US but is the longest par 5 hole on any PGA tour course The course has a rich history and has hosted multiple Tour events Do you see yourself getting on the green on 3 Especially when facing the infamous 100-yard “Hell Bunker” before the green Although not exactly a proper golf course hole I must mention the iconic record set by Adam Rolston Rolston challenged himself to travel through Mongolia and complete this 80-day long 14,000-par hole to raise funds for a charity for children’s sports This has to be the most impressive golf hole I’ve ever seen – to the point that there’s a Nat Geo documentary The longest hole at the current US Open is Hole #14 of the Los Angeles Country Club This par 5 is one of the most challenging holes of the championship The longest hole on the PGA tour is the 13th hole at TPC Colorado This makes it the longest par 5-hole on any PGA tour course Our team tests golf equipment and plays courses around the world When you purchase through links on our site we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you