One of the two monks from Bongeunsa Temple in Seoul's Gangnam District, second from left, attacks a protester in front of the temple, Sunday. The protester claimed a former president of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism tampered in an upcoming election for the sect's new president. Yonhap

By Ko Dong-hwan

Two Korean Buddhist monks attacked a man protesting on the street against the de-facto spiritual leader of the country's biggest Buddhism sect, Sunday. Police officers at the scene are said to have made some attempt to prevent the aggressors from continuing to assault the man.

The monks attacked the protester in broad daylight in front of Bongeunsa Temple in the affluent aea of Samseong-dong, Gangnam District. The protester, reportedly a senior employee of the Planning and Promotion Department of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, was there to stage a one-person demonstration against Ven. Jaseung, the former president of the Jogye Order. The protester claimed that Ven. Jaseung intervened in the upcoming election for the sect's new president, resulting in Ven. Jinwoo solely running for the position.

The two monks from the temple kicked and punched the protester, who is also a member of the workers' union of the Jogye Order as well as the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), one of the biggest umbrella workers' unions in the country. The aggressors also poured a bucket of human excrement over the victim, part of which also smeared police officers who were holding back the monks. The victim was taken to a hospital in Geumcheon, western Seoul after sustaining injuries to his leg and face.

Following the incident, the monks told the police officers from Gangnam Police Station they were also assaulted by the protester. The police say they have begun investigating the incident.

Ven. Jaseung, whose tenure ended in 2017, is known to still wield tremendous influence within the sect. There were concerned voices from within the Jogye Order that under his influence, a group of senior-level monks in the sect unanimously endorsed Ven. Jinwoo, who had solely launched his candidacy earlier this month.

Ven. Jaseung had previously been in the spotlight in 2013 when Ven. Jeokgwang from the Jogye Order attempted to hold a press conference in Seoul's central district of Jongno to disclose that Ven. Jaseung, then the sect's president, was a chronic gambler. A group of monks held each arm and leg of the protester to carry him away from the scene and physically assaulted him. Ven. Jeokgwang was hospitalized for four weeks and further required psychological treatment. The aggressors, on the other hand, had been indicted by prosecutors and were ultimately fined but later promoted to higher-level positions inside the sect.

On Tuesday, members of the KCTU demonstrated in front of Bongeunsa Temple to condemn the temple's monks for the latest violent incident.