hankyoreh

Buddhist monk Jeongwon holds a one-person demonstration in front of the special prosecutor’s office in Seoul‘s Gangnam district

A Buddhist monk named Jeongwon (born Seo Yong-won, 64) who self-immolated during the candlelight rally last weekend to demand the resignation of President Park Geun-hye passed away two days later.

On the evening of Jan. 9, Seoul National University Hospital announced that Jeongwon monk, who was hospitalized there, had died at 7:40 pm. The cause of death was multiple organ failure resulting from his burns.

Jeongwon doused himself with a flammable substance and set himself on fire at Yeollin Madang Square next to Gwanghawmun Square, across from Gyeongbok Palace in the Jongno District of Seoul. The immolation occurred on the night of Jan. 7, when the 11th weekly candlelight rally was held.

Jeongwon was taken to Seoul National University Hospital immediately after his self-immolation, where he was treated in the intensive care unit. At the request of Jeongwon‘s family, the hospital did not transfer the monk to hospital specialized in burn treatment, or provide for life-extending care, in according with Jeongwon’s wish.

A sketchbook found at the scene of his self-immolation contained a message from Jeongwon reading, “May my death not be in vain,” he wrote. “My death must mean victory for the people, not gains for any one group. I am returning to the elements of the universe; do not leave any trace behind.”

The group Emergency Citizen Action for the Park Geun-hye Administration’s Resignation said it would “honor his wishes that his ‘burnt offering’ might be a way of preventing opportunities for groups to sell out the nation and of giving strength to the candle-bearing citizens.”

Jeongwon joined the Buddhist priesthood in 1977 at Haein Temple. He was a member of a joint committee battling oppression of the Buddhist community during the Gwangju Democratization Movement in 1980. He also took part in the battle against the Daechu Village US military base relocation in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province in 2006 and the push for an investigation of the Sewol ferry sinking in 2014, along with many other social campaigns.

By Heo Seung, staff reporter

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