The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the largest Buddhist order in South Korea, is calling for the withdrawal of a proposed law that would provide funding and support for World Youth Day 2027, which is scheduled to take place in the city of Seoul.
The proposed law has been pending before the National Assembly since November 2024, and it would provide support for crowd safety, transportation, and logistics, according to Buddhist Door.
“The bill clearly violates the constitution,” Venerable Sungwang of the Jogye Order told UCA News Nov. 22, according to Buddhist Door. He said he believes that the state providing support for World Youth Day would violate the separation of Church and state.
The Jogye Order represents around 70% of South Korea’s Buddhist temples, according to Buddhist Door. It is the highest decision-making body within Korean Buddhism.
Sungwang said that all 61 voting members of the Jogye Order’s Central Council opposed the bill during their Nov. 19 general meeting, according to Buddhist Door.
Sungwang emphasized that, while the order opposes any state assistance for World Youth Day, it does not oppose the event itself.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the order said that the proposed legislation could set “a bad precedent of collusion between politics and religion,” according to Buddhist Door.
Catholic leaders have argued that the support is necessary to ensure safety. At an Oct. 27 press briefing, Bishop Paul Kyung-sang Lee, auxiliary bishop of Seoul, said that World Youth Day 2027 will be “three times the size of the Olympics” and needs public-sector cooperation, according to Buddhist Door.
During the press conference, Bishop Lee said that the Church hopes to receive 50 billion won (about $34 million USD) in support from the government, according to Buddhist Door. Bishop Lee emphasized that the requested funding would be spent on public safety, not on religious activities. The event’s total budget is estimated at 300 billion won.
The bishop hopes that World Youth Day, which was first held in 1984, will be an opportunity for peace across divisions.
“Korea is the first non-Christian country to host World Youth Day,” Bishop Lee said earlier this year. “At the same time, it’s the only nation that is divided in two. So, the main theme should be peace — peace between religions, peace between two countries.”
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