Monks Call for Temple Redesignation

Seoul, South Korea - The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the biggest sect in Korea, held a rally Thursday to demand that temple grounds stop being designated as natural parks.

More than 1,500 monks and 2,000 Buddhists attended the gathering at Tongdo Temple, South Gyeongsang Province, with Ven. Ji Kwan, the head of the Jogye Order in attendance.

The Jogye Order requested that the government exclude temples around the nation as part of national, provincial and county natural parks and designate them as separate cultural properties.

``The Order has always been excluded in the government's plans in re-designating natural parks, which is held once every 10 years. We are aiming this time to improve further natural park policies and also find a way to preserve our cultural assets,'' Ven. Jang Juk was quoted as saying by the Jogye Order.

The Buddhism sect claims that if the temple grounds are de-registered as parks, they can move free from the various legal restrictions regarding ownership and rights.

Meanwhile, the Order also offered examples of previous consequences, citing the tracking route direction signs and numerous bars near the Haein Temple, while Beopju Temple was not given permission to build a felling to prevent flooding as it is registered as part of Mt. Songni National Park.

It is the first time for monks of the Jogye Order to get together and hold such a rally in 13 years.