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“We should never forget that South Korea is super-rich compared to the North. Instead of blowing up at the things the North says, we ought to be bigger than that and make magnanimous concessions.”

These remarks were not made by one of South Korea’s progressive leaders. Instead, they were delivered at a New Year’s press conference on Jan. 15 by Yoido Full Gospel Church senior pastor Rev. Lee Young-hoon, chairman of the Christian Council of Korea (CCK), a group that has long represented conservative Christianity in South Korea.

CCK has long enjoyed preferential treatment from political regimes as a faithful ally to the ruling party. Critics have also called it a hotbed of corruption, with some calling for its disbandment over issues such as election purchasing for its chairmanship. Yoido Full Gospel Church, which boasts the world‘s largest congregation, has come under heavy fire for corruption scandals involving Pastor David Yong-gi Cho and his family members.

Despite the contentious background and practical constraints, Lee has emerged with a very different message since taking over. Speaking last year at a September press conference for his inauguration as chairman, he caused a stir with remarks about the Sewol ferry sinking that April. “The people with the power need to make concessions,” he said at the time.

Some analysts suggested that Lee’s remarks were aimed at countering anti-Protestant sentiment, which has increased in South Korea as a result of corruption scandals involving prominent megachurch leaders, overt coordination with politicians, and far-right advocacy. Another analysis was that Lee had always been a very different breed of pastor from David Cho. He has also faced criticisms within Yoido Full Gospel Church for standing in the wings at far-right demonstrations, even when most of the congregation hails from the Honam region (Gwangju and the Jeolla Provinces, which are generally left-wing politically) and is middle class or lower.

“Protestantism in South Korea is a religion of service, and we need a rebirth as a respected and praised faith by leaving authoritarianism behind and lowering ourselves utterly to serve our neighbors,” Lee said.

Another example of Lee putting his convictions into practice was seen when he traveled with 1,000 congregation members three times since May 2014 - just after the Sewol sinking - to shop at Ansan‘s traditional Boseong Market.

In late 2014, Lee defused another potential conflict when he agreed not to light a Christmas tree on Aegi Peak in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province, a move that has brought an outcry from North Korea in the past. He also expressed opposition to the scattering of propaganda leaflets in North Korea by conservative groups.

“It doesn’t help things to provoke the North,” Lee said. “It’s better to avoid doing things that provoke them.”

He also spoke in favor of a more conciliatory attitude toward inter-Korean dialogue and unification.

“Instead of making it a conditional game of seesaw or responding emotionally to everything, we ought to make grand concessions to open up the dialogue,” he said.

“I think we should encourage private exchange and let everyone who wants to go to North Korea do that,” he added.

One of Lee’s proposals to churches nationwide has been to set aside 1% of each church budget toward a unification fund.

“Before liberation [from Japanese colonial rule], there were 3,500 churches in North Korea, and now there are just two, Bongsu Church and Chilgol Church,” he said. “Only when the country’s 55,000 churches prepare for unification can we start rebuilding the churches.”

“Yoido Full Gospel Church will also be setting aside 1% of its budget for a unification fund as of this year,” he added.

By Cho Yeon-hyun, religion correspondent

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