The truth concealed behind the 10 year sentence of Jung Myung Seok, Chairman of Christian Gospel Mission (JMS)
<Part 3> Jung may be the real victim of this case. Mr. K demanded from him 2 million USD.
Published 2010.03.31 14:15:08
Rumor vs Truth: Continuing the series, The truth concealed behind the 10 year sentence of Jung Myung Seok, Chairman of Christian Gospel Mission (JMS), I will begin the final portion, Part 3, with the story about Mr. K, the leader of the anti-JMS group, Exodus, who demanded 2 billion won (approximately 2 million USD) from Jung.
It is not apparent if Mr. K is really fighting for justice. He has been leading the anti-JMS group called Exodus and has held a press conference with alleged victims. He has done this while fighting legal battles with the Christian Gospel Mission (CGM) on several occasions. In fact, in order for an individual who is penniless to request even one trial, it costs a tremendous amount of money. For several trials, it costs considerably more. However, is this truly a fight to implement justice even when he has to empty his pockets, simply because he was “naturally born with a heart of justice that cannot tolerate injustice?”
Mr. K demanded a 2 million USD settlement from Jung
Pastor P met with him several times with these multiple concerns. Pastor P revealed that he had directly heard from Mr. K about demanding a 2 billion won (approximately 2 million USD) settlement. (Pastor P has also testified about this in court as a witness, with other evidence available: a transcript regarding Mr. K’s demand for 2 billion won. Refer to the picture below.)
Mr. K said to Pastor P, “No matter how much you try, Jung Myung Seok will never be able to enter Korea. There are some prosecutors who gnash their teeth when they hear about JMS. Among them, there are at least three high ranking prosecutors. If you give me 2 billion won as a settlement, I will drop the charges that I have filed with the victims.”
Pastor P responded saying that once Chairman Jung comes back to Korea, the truth would be revealed. But Mr. K replied, “He will rot in China’s prison forever. Even if the chairman were to come back, S Broadcasting System or reporters will not stay still.” He added that Pastor P did not know how scary the power of the press and having connections was.
Even before this, Mr. K had told Mr. N from CGM that if they were to give him a 2 billion won settlement, he would drop the charges, showing him the written document of dropping the charges. Also, at the meeting with Pastor P, he brought up his meeting with Mr. N and kept demanding a settlement, saying that he wouldn’t drop the charges unless they gave him 2 billion won.
Mr. K changed the settlement from 2 billion won to 140,000,000 won (140,000 USD) after the confirmation of Jung’s first extradition. Why did he change his mind?
Mr. K wrote and signed a letter of apology for defaming Jung and sent it to CGM (Nov 15, 1999). Mr. K sent further apology letters to Jung on two other occasions (March 17 and July 21 in 2005). However, afterwards, he again demanded money. At this, Jung gave the following reply to Mr. K:
“Even a lover becomes an enemy once he fights. As Jesus said, whoever it may be, once he fights, he becomes an enemy and his heart is in agony. It is hurtful and harmful. You already acknowledged that I am not a bad person, but if you demand money again even after that, I can only grow deeper in my thoughts.”
As you can tell from the Jung’s reply, it is obvious that Mr. K has been persistent in asking for money. However, after the police decided Jung’s first extradition, a couple of days later, Mr. K lowered the settlement from 2 billion won to 140,000,000 won. 140,000,000 won was the cost of his legal fees for the trials. Mr. K also requested that Pastor P pay compensatory damages for his father according to CGM’s conscience, but informed Pastor P that 10,000,000 won (approximately 10,000 USD) or 20,000,000 won (approximately 20,000 USD) would not be enough to cover the damages.
(Left: the letter on March 17. Right: the letter on July 21.)
When a rumor becomes vicious, it hurls invisible stones that cause tremendous damage
Mr. K is someone who has contributed in a big way, we could say, to last year’s 10 year sentence of Jung Myung Seok. However, Mr. K was unable to receive even one penny from CGM. The reason being the chairman made sure with CGM “to not handle this case with money.” What it means is that “truth should be proven with truth” and at the same time, it tells us that there is nothing for him to settle in this case.
If CGM were to have paid the 2 billion won settlement that Mr. K had demanded when he was trying to entice them with the written order to drop the charges, Jung would not have needed to face the trial or receive the 10 year sentence. Jung and CGM, who already knew the truth, were sure of an acquittal, but the result of the trial was so different from what they had thought.
Society tacked “child molestation allegations” onto Michael Jackson while he was alive. But after his death, Jordan Chandler, who had accused Michael Jackson of molestation at that time, finally confessed. “Someone bribed my father and he forced me to do it because of the money.” And with that, the court finally cleared Michael Jackson of the egregious, false charges.
Actually, the truth is not what’s important to abettors and to those who listen to rumors and spread them. All they are after is entertainment in their mundane lives. These vicious rumors are accepted as facts, and through the fast streaming of this internet and information era, they lead to a grotesque public opinion. In the end, the public opinion turns into gigantic stones that are hurled. Then innocent people get hit, collapse, and even die from them.
Not conclusive
Even though the court had sentenced Jung to 10 years, it is not conclusive that all the rumors are true. In other words, the guilty verdict doesn’t necessarily mean that Jung is actually guilty. In addition, it doesn’t end just yet. As long as those who know the truth do not give up and continue to be courageous, ultimately, the truth will be brought to light, prevailing over the darkness.
Currently, in order to live a life that puts Jesus only as their first priority, according to Jung’s teaching, CGM members are holding Holy Spirit Movements on Fridays through internet broadcasting for 400 churches in Korea and for 50 foreign countries. One member said, “The essence of our faith is Jesus of the Bible. I believe that the egregiousness in the case involving Jung, who helps us to know Jesus clearly, will absolutely be revealed.”
There is a Japanese movie, I Just Didn’t Do It. It is based on a true story about a guy who was falsely accused as a molester in a subway and was called to trial; it clearly showed the problems of Japanese criminal trials. With the final line of the movie, I will wrap up the series, The truth concealed behind the 10 year sentence of Jung Myung Seok, Chairman of Christian Gospel Mission (JMS):
“Please, in the way you would wish to be judged, I hope you will judge me.”
Original | Archived | Korean and English
