Venerable Myeongjin, former chief monk of Bongeun Temple, dies at 76

Venerable Myeongjin, former chief monk of Bongeun Temple, died on Saturday at the age of 76 after 52 years as a monk.

The monk was found floating in the water near Haye Port in Haye-dong, Seogwipo, Jeju Island, at 9:38 a.m., according to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, police and fire authorities. He was rescued and taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead at 10:28 a.m.

The Coast Guard suspects he was involved in an accident while practicing freediving, based on the equipment he was wearing when he was rescued, and is investigating the exact circumstances of the incident. His remains were taken to Seogwipo Medical Center.

He was born in Dangjin, South Chungcheong, in 1950. He entered the Buddhist priesthood in 1969 and received full novice ordination in 1974. He served as the chief monk of Bongeun Temple from 2006 through 2010.

After criticizing the leadership of the Jogye Order’s general administration through interviews and Buddhist services, Venerable Myeongjin was stripped of his monastic registration by the order in 2017.

Venerable Myeongjin subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the disciplinary action, and courts in both the first and second trials ruled in his favor. The case was brought to an end earlier this year after Venerable Myeongjin and the Jogye Order agreed not to appeal to the Supreme Court.

He was also a veteran of the Vietnam War and was subjected to illegal surveillance by Korea’s National Intelligence Service during the administration of President Lee Myung-bak.

BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]