The Shincheonji Church of Jesus has issued a statement accusing the South Korean government of violating constitutional religious freedoms through what it describes as retaliatory actions targeting a specific religious group. The church asserts that government officials have categorically labeled it a "social harm" and "detriment" while mobilizing state power, constituting what the church calls a grave violation of Article 20 of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea, which guarantees freedom of religion and separation of church and state. The controversy stems from statements made by President Lee Jae-myung on January 12 during a meeting with religious leaders, where he stated that "societal harm [caused by a specific religion] has been neglected for too long, resulting in great damage." The following day, Prime Minister Kim Min-seok reportedly used terms including "cult" and "heresy" during a Cabinet meeting while ordering joint investigation and "eradication" measures.
The Shincheonji Church argues these statements effectively draw conclusions before any formal investigation has begun, preemptively branding the religious group as socially problematic and potentially compromising due process. While a government-mandated joint investigation is underway, the church contends the administration is dismantling constitutional boundaries by declaring the group a "cult" and "harm" as a foregone conclusion. The statement questions by what authority a secular government defines and judges religious doctrine, and on what legal basis the highest seat of power provides "investigative guidelines" that might undermine judicial independence. The church maintains that criteria for "orthodoxy" or "heresy" must be rooted solely in the Holy Scriptures rather than political proximity or secular interests. Drawing historical parallels, the statement notes that two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ was branded a "heretic" and persecuted by the religious establishment of his time, yet history has vindicated him as the cornerstone of faith.
The church questions whether it is justifiable to label a religious body "heretical" based on congregation size or assertions of rival pastors rather than biblical content. In response to the controversy, Shincheonji Church has repeatedly proposed resolving theological disputes through an open, public Bible examination grounded in scripture rather than emotion or political pressure, though it claims there has been no fair response to this invitation. The church acknowledges it has never claimed infallibility and states it is committed to correcting any genuine doctrinal or social errors if specifically identified. It points to its community contributions, including voluntary service during national disasters and leading record-breaking blood drives during supply crises, as evidence of its societal engagement. Despite these efforts, the church claims the government continues to use abstract labels such as "harm" without presenting specific instances of verified damage.
Furthermore, the statement notes that despite numerous past allegations, judicial processes have repeatedly resulted in acquittals or findings of no suspicion, and recycling matters already settled by the courts as fuel for political attacks questions South Korea's commitment to democratic standards. The Shincheonji Church calls upon the President and political establishment to move away from scapegoating politics toward unity that serves all people, warning that attempts to use religious establishments to evade political risks or weaponize majority opinion to suppress minority religions serve neither national development nor democracy. The statement emphasizes that if one religion is targeted today, any marginalized group could be targeted tomorrow, and affirms the church's constitutional right to freedom of religion while calling on the government to base judgments on facts and law rather than emotional branding.
