Front Page: Investigative Report

[Exclusive] On-Site Record Journal of JMS Christian Gospel Mission Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok’s Attendant H Revealed

Conviction of Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok in Appeal Trial Based Solely on Accusers’ Testimonies… A Visit to the Incident Site

The defense counsel for Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok of the Christian Gospel Mission (commonly referred to as JMS) filed an appeal to the Supreme Court on November 20, following their dissatisfaction with the appellate court’s ruling. Amid the ongoing trial for additional charges, controversies have arisen regarding whether the court’s judgment was impartial. One point of contention involves evidence submitted by Pastor Jeong’s attendant, H, which completely refutes the accusers’ claims but was not considered by the court.

Attendant H had been closely accompanying Pastor Jeong since his release from prison in February 2018, meticulously documenting the situations around Pastor Jeong’s residence and other areas within the Wolmyeongdong Natural Temple located in Jinsan-myeon, Geumsan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do. H stated that he compiled these records into a printed booklet for personal use by the end of September 2018. This booklet was later submitted as evidence during Pastor Jeong’s trial. H revealed that the journal he has been keeping since he began assisting Pastor Jeong in 2003, containing detailed on-site records, has now been presented as legal evidence after 21 years. (Related article on pages 4–5.)

Page 4: Investigative Report

[Exclusive] On-Site Record Journal of JMS Christian Gospel Mission Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok’s Attendant H Revealed

Evidence Presented That Directly Contradicts Accusers’ Claims… Not Reflected in Court Judgment

Prejudices and Negative Public Opinion Towards the CGM Influencing Decisions… Is It Right to Ignore Substantive Evidence?

The Blue-Roof House (Cheonggiwa) House identified by the accuser was shared with Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok’s family.

The Blue-Roof House within the Wolmyeongdong Natural Temple served as both the residence of Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok and a public space for carrying out various administrative duties. The structure of the house was designed to remain open on all sides, allowing church members to freely visit and observe. Indeed, numerous members visited the house to listen to sermons delivered by Pastor Jeong.

Accuser A, a Hong Kong national, claimed to have been victimized on three occasions in March and April 2018 within the bedroom, the end room, and the office of the Blue-Roof House. However, Pastor Jeong’s defense team argued that such incidents were impossible, as Jeong had just been released from prison in February 2018 and his family was frequently visiting the house to care for him during that time. Prosecutors’ witness C, a former church member actively testifying against Jeong, supported the accuser’s claims by asserting that the family’s frequent visits to the Blue-Roof House lasted only two to three weeks after Jeong’s release. However, H’s journal contains detailed records indicating that Pastor Jeong’s family lived in the Blue-Roof House until the end of June 2018. This contradicts the accuser’s testimony and serves as critical evidence exposing falsehoods in the accuser’s claims.

Regarding the end room of the Blue-Roof House, which was one of the alleged locations of the incidents, H’s records reveal that at the time in question, the room was cluttered with a large table, boxes, and a birdcage, leaving no space for a person to sit. Photo evidence corroborates this description. The accuser claimed to have been seated on the floor with Pastor Jeong in that room, but according to H, he was unable to sit on the floor due to mobility issues stemming from leg pain following his release from prison.

Subsequently, CCTV cameras were installed at the location to monitor the premises of the Wolmyeongdong Natural Temple. Records show that staff members frequently entered and exited the area. This demonstrates that the structure of the location made it impossible for the events claimed by the accuser to have occurred.

Furthermore, the accuser and the prosecution’s witnesses claimed that the Blue-Roof House was a closed, restricted area where entry was not allowed for just anyone. However, H’s journal contains numerous records of church members trespassing into the Blue-Roof House in attempts to meet Pastor Jeong. He stated, “The Blue-Roof House was an accessible space that anyone could approach if they wanted, which is why it was constantly guarded from a nearby post. Despite this, both the initial and appellate courts ignored these objective records and solely accepted the accuser’s claims.” H expressed frustration over this perceived injustice.

The Prayer Cave: A Location Frequented by Many, Impossible for Pastor Jeong to Remain There for Long

Another location where accuser A alleged incidents of victimization—once in August 2018 and again in April 2021—was the “Prayer Cave.” However, records indicate that the Prayer Cave was frequented by many visitors during those periods, to the extent that its internal

structures were damaged due to heavy traffic. These records further demonstrate that the Prayer Cave was not a place where clandestine incidents could have occurred. The person responsible for managing the Prayer Cave testified that they regularly entered the cave to take care its plant life and stated they had never witnessed any incidents matching the accuser’s claims.

H explained, “Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok was under real-time location tracking as a result of the 2008 trial, and since the Prayer Cave was a signal-dead zone, remaining there for an extended period would have triggered strict sanctions from the Ministry of Justice. Despite this, the prosecution chose to file perjury charges against the Prayer Cave manager

instead.”

The tent on the athletic field, which accuser A claimed as the site of victimization in November 2019, was also deemed an improbable location for such incidents according to H’s records. During the alleged time frame, two types of tents were set in Wolmyeongdong: an opaque tent and a transparent plastic tent. A claimed that she was secretly victimized inside the opaque tent. However, records and accompanying photographic evidence reveal that the opaque tent was set up to store stones and was not a space that people entered.

The transparent plastic tent, on the other hand, was an open shelter provided for church members to escape the cold. Its interior was completely visible from the outside, and during the evening, the bright interior lighting made the inside even more visible from the outside in the dark. These structural characteristics demonstrate that none of the tents in Wolmyeongdong could have been the site of the events claimed by the accuser.

Reception Room at the 316 Memorial Hall: Fully Visible from the Outside

Accuser D, an Australian national who joined accuser A in filing charges against Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok, claimed to have been victimized while riding a golf cart with Pastor Jeong. E, a church member who served as the interpreter for the conversation between D and Pastor Jeong at that time, testified that they had not witnessed any such incidents occurring. Despite this, E was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison with a 3-year suspended sentence on charges of aiding and abetting.

However, several on-site records from H indicate that Pastor Jeong always drove the golf cart slowly out of consideration for the church members who walked alongside him. While D claimed that no one was present near the golf cart during the alleged incident, the reality was that the interpreter closely followed the golf cart on foot and was able to observe all

activities occurring around it.

Additionally, accusers A and B alleged that they were also victimized in the reception room of the 316 Memorial Hall. Accuser A specifically claimed that the incident occurred while Pastor Jeong’s attendant, F, briefly waited behind a folding screen. Based on this claim, the prosecution indicted F on charges of aiding and abetting. While F was sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison in the initial trial, the appellate court later ruled F not guilty.

The reception room of the 316 Memorial Hall features a full glass façade, making the interior clearly visible from the corridor. The folding screen within the room only partially partitioned a small space, providing neither soundproofing nor full visual obstruction. Furthermore, the corridor in front of the reception room is a designated exhibition area, and the opposite side houses a mid-sized auditorium where worship services were held. As a result, many church members frequently passed through the corridor, often looking into the reception room.

These circumstances were recorded, casting doubt on the plausibility of accuser A’s claim of being victimized in such an open setting.

During the on-site investigation conducted as part of a search and seizure operation in May 2023, the investigator made note that the windows of another floor, not the reception room of 316 Memorial Hall, were tinted. The investigator incorrectly recorded in the inspection report that the reception room windows were heavily tinted and not visible from the outside, creating the misleading impression that the incidents described by the accusers could have occurred.

Pastor Jeong’s defense team also requested an on-site inspection to verify the testimony of church member E, but the court denied the request. The appellate court ultimately dismissed

all objective on-site records submitted by H and others, accepting only the statements of the accusers. H argued, “In the 2008 trial, media reports fueled biases against the CGM, leading to all testimonies from church members being treated as perjury. Similarly, in the 2023 trial, religious prejudice against the CGM resulted in substantive evidence contradicting the accusers’ claims being disregarded.”

Reporter Yang Oh-seok

Page 5: Investigative Report

What were the accusers of Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok aiming for?

Jeong Myeong-Seok’s trial is pending at the Supreme Court… Accusers file a ‘damages suit’ demanding a large sum of money.

Lessons from the false sexual assault case involving a mother and two sons… “The ultimate goal was money.”

Rulings based on gender sensitivity… The testimonies and tears of the female victims are taken as evidence.

The number of false accusation cases related to sexual crimes is increasing sharply every year. Last year, 148 false accusation cases related to sexual crimes were judged in court. In cases of sexual crimes, a conviction can be obtained based solely on consistent statements without any other evidence. In particular, people with social status or public figures often suffer severe damage to their reputation simply by being implicated in sexual crimes, regardless of the truth. Fortunately, there are cases where innocence is proven with decisive evidence, but the pain that people who are accused of sexual crimes must endure until their innocence is proven is immense. Recently, there have been increasing cases of people taking extreme measures while pleading their innocence.

Jeong Myeong-Seok trial, issue raised as accusers file a ‘damages suit’ worth hundreds of millions of won

The case of Jeong Myeong-Seok, the head of the Christian Gospel Mission (commonly known as JMS), which has been heating up the public since last year, has once again drawn attention as the accusers filed a lawsuit demanding hundreds of millions of won in damages on November 26, while the Supreme Court is hearing the case in December. The accusers stated their reason for the claim, saying, “We have suffered damages due to the crime, and compensation must be made for this.” Jeong Myeong-Seok’s lawyer stated, “The criminal court judgment is the only evidence so far, and since the case is pending at the Supreme Court, the proof of the cause of the claim has not been made. In the case of the church, there is no reason to be held responsible as there is no relevant job-related relationship to hold it accountable. The amount of the claim is excessive.” The court, having summarized the positions of both sides, decided to set the next hearing at a later date, considering the ongoing related trial.

Accusers demand an unusually high amount of compensation, suggesting the involvement of a third party

There is no fixed amount of damages for sexual assault crimes in general. This is because the degree of harm felt by each person is different. Depending on the situation, it is usually determined to be between 5 million won and 50 million won. Considering the fact that the amount of 500 million won claimed by accuser B in this case is determined based on direct and indirect damages and consolation money, it is a significantly deviating amount from general cases.

Furthermore, the person who led this lawsuit was not the accuser. There are suspicions that a third party, an anti-JMS activist and an established Christian denomination, is involved behind the scenes. This was revealed through the testimony of former church member A, who was close to accuser B during the second trial. A submitted a KakaoTalk message containing a conversation between accuser B and anti-JMS activist Professor C as evidence to the second trial court, in order to reveal the fact that the claims made by the production team of “I am God 2” were false. After seeing the notice of content sent by A, Professor C posted a message on an internet cafe admitting that it was a planned lawsuit, but for some reason, he immediately deleted the post. Jeong Myeong-Seok’s side has been claiming that the accusers have filed a planned lawsuit with the help of anti-JMS activists and established denominations, and A has presented important evidence to prove this, and Professor C has admitted it.

Jeong Myeong-Seok case similar to the ‘mother and two sons’ case where the entire nation was deceived by the victim’s testimony

In this case, where Jeong Myeong-Seok has been continuously claiming innocence, the fact that accuser B testified that she intentionally collected evidence but that the only evidence is the testimony without any strong evidence such as DNA, the fact that the accusers’

testimonies contradict each other, the fact that the accused is a socially prominent pastor, the fact that a large amount of money is involved, the fact that there is a third party behind the scenes, and the excessively stimulating and sensational content are very similar to the case of the mother and two sons that occurred in 2014.

In 2014, a woman posted online that she had been sexually abused by her husband and family, causing a major social upheaval. The woman claimed that her husband and family had given her and her two sons drugs and forced them into prostitution, and that they had been forced to make sexual videos. The fact that the husband and father-in-law accused of the crime were pastors came as a big shock. The whole nation watched the case with great interest, but the result was even more shocking. The woman said that she had relied heavily on a shaman she knew in the past. The shaman brainwashed the woman and embezzled tens of millions of won from her husband. When this fact was discovered, she falsely accused her husband and father-in-law in order to protect the embezzled money. It was a false sexual assault case that was created, but it was revealed to be false based on the fact that there was no evidence other than the testimony without any objective evidence such as hospital treatment, and the fact that the testimony kept changing and contradicting itself.

Although the entire nation was swayed by the excessively stimulating content, the conclusion was that it was a false sexual assault case created by a shaman’s greed for money.

Former church member A’s revelation: “B asked if she could really get money before filing the lawsuit”

Before their relationship soured, former church member B consulted with A about suing Jeong Myeong-Seok. B told A that the reason she was leaving the church was not because Jeong Myeong-Seok or the church was strange, but because she wanted to date a

boyfriend. Their conversation also included the content that “since there is only general biblical lecture content in the recording, it cannot be used as strong evidence, so a legal

review by a lawyer is necessary.” Also, regarding the reason for the lawsuit, B asked, “Can I really get money if I win the lawsuit? I heard that I file a civil lawsuit after a criminal lawsuit,” revealing that the reason for the lawsuit was ultimately financial.

[picture4] The plaintiff, B, asserts that their departure from the missionary group was motivated by a desire to pursue a romantic relationship, rather than any perceived irregularities within the group.

KakaoTalk messages have been presented as evidence.” The document was obtained from an anonymous source.

Generally, sexual assault victims are very cautious when filing a damages lawsuit because they may be suspected of falsely filing a lawsuit for money. However, B seems to have considered whether she could get money before even filing the lawsuit. There are also suspicions that there is a third party behind the lawsuit. B says, “I heard that I file a civil lawsuit after a criminal lawsuit.” If she had been the subject of the lawsuit, she would have said, “I will file a civil lawsuit after the criminal case.” A Christian Gospel Mission official said, “These facts mean that there was someone behind B who planned and led the lawsuit, and ultimately, it proves that the background of this lawsuit was for money. Although the court initially viewed A’s notice of content containing these contents as very important, it is

questionable why it was not even mentioned later.”

A legal expert pointed out, “The Jeong Myeong-Seok trial is a typical trial that was influenced by gender sensitivity and negative media.” He added, “The objective evidence submitted and the testimonies of the accusers should be judged legally, but due to the influence of public opinion, objective facts were not reflected at all.” He also stated, “After the broadcast of ‘I am God,’ the Jeong Myeong-Seok trial became a social issue due to its stimulating and sensational content. If it hadn’t been for that, the results of the first and second trials would have been different. We need to look at the case with an objective perspective based on the law.”

Hong Sung-pil, reporter

Page 5: Series

How to read the Bible

Analyzing Key Doctrines of Christian Gospel Mission

The Christian Gospel Mission (https://www.cgm.or.kr), commonly known as JMS, is founded by Rev. Jeong Myeong-Seok and the organization has attracted attention for not literal interpretation but its rational, and scientifically interpretation of the Bible, Christianity’s scripture, unlike the established church. Especially in the 1980s, many young people and elites were drawn to Jeong’s Bible-based teachings, and they have played a pivotal role in the growth of the present mission. In addition, there is still a constant stream of people knocking on the doors of the mission. Why is it that the members of the mission are able to keep their faith firmly in place despite all the external winds, and why do people still take notice of the mission and want to join it? We believe that the key to the secret lies in the words of Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok. We begin a series on the main doctrines of the missionary organization with the help of its officials and we write ‘How to read the Bible’ in this issue. The Bible is

composed of the Old Testament and the New Testament <Editor’s Note>.

If you show a passage of Scripture to a believer as well as an unchurched atheist and ask them what they think, most of them will say that they understand the Bible literally and can’t believe it. However, when they hear the Bible-based teachings of Rev. Jeong Myeong-Seok of the Christian Gospel Mission, shockingly, the Bible becomes new, easily understood, and naturally believed in God. Countless young people uniformly confess that they have regained their lost faith after listening to him.

Jesus answered and said unto them, You have misunderstood, because you don’t know neither the Scriptures, nor the power of God.(Matthew 22:29)

In the New Testament book of Matthew, Jesus said that they were misunderstood because they did not know the Bible. Even if it is not a case of not being able to communicate because of different nationalities and different languages, the dialects in our small country make it difficult to communicate with each other and sometimes lead to major

misunderstandings. Clearing up these misconceptions about the Bible is one of the first things to do when starting a new faith.

When you look at the Bible, think about what time period it was written in and look.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12).

The Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Corinth, described his vision as “dim, like looking in a mirror.” This was about 2,000 years ago, so he was using a mirror made of bronze. It was not a clear, crystal-clear mirror like we have today, but a mirror that was dimmer than a face reflected in water, so Paul wrote this. If you read the Bible without thinking about what era it was written in and just read it from your own perspective, with the knowledge of the present era, it is very difficult to understand. Therefore, when we look at the Bible, we should think about the era in which it was written.

Until the late 1980s, when tillers became widely available in Korea, fields and paddies were plowed by oxen. Nowadays, farm machinery like tractors and even drones are used for weed control. Although electric cars are now being sold and self-driving cars are being used, the first electric light in Korea was installed in 1887 at Gunchung palace in Gyeongbok Palace, the residence of Emperor Gojong of Joseon Dynasty. In the very old days, there was no calendar, so they counted the days by looking at the moon, and even longer before that, they believed in the theory of the heliocentric theory, but now even elementary school

students know geocentric theory. In the same way, when we look at the Bible, we should know what era it was written in.

In the Old Testament book of Joshua (10:12-14), it says that Joshua stopped the sun. This was about 3400 years ago. It was a time when people thought the sun only rose in the east and set in the west, so Joshua naturally looked at the sun and prayed

for it to stop, but if we teach that the sun actually stopped, who in their right mind would accept it? In the previous verse, Joshua (10:11), it says that Joshua defeated Israel’s enemies by God sending a great hailstorm. Joshua prayed fervently to God to help him win the battle, God answered, and the battle, which seemed to last for days, was over as quickly as if the sun had stopped, and the victory was recorded literarily. The sun still stands still today, as it did 3400 years ago, and the earth rotates and revolves around it.

People are more attracted to things that are psychologically

stimulating and cause signs. The reality of the Bible is not like that; it is mostly plain and ordinary. We need to understand this so we can trust God without misunderstanding Him. God is omniscient, but he is also a God of reason and law, a God of order. However, people like signs, miracles, and sensationalism, so when they see and understand the Bible, they tend to take it literally, piquantly, and signally. This perception must be corrected in order to understand the Bible properly.

God of Parables, the Bible records what was said in parables

Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying. (Revelation 22:15).

The book of Revelation, the last book in the New Testament, was written by Jesus’ disciple John. Among the passages that predict what will happen when Jesus returns, there is an unusual prophecy about dogs. If you take this passage literally, it means that dogs won’t be able to go to heaven. But it’s strange: dogs don’t even read the Bible, so why would he mention them out of all the animals?

The Bible clearly says that God speaks in parables (Ezekiel 20:49), and Jesus said that he speaks in parables (Matthew 13:34-35). So we should think of the Bible as speaking in parables. In parables, the dog in Revelation is more appropriate when it comes to people who are like dogs. Dogs have a habit of vomiting up what they eat and eating it again. It is very fitting that man, after repenting that he will not sin anymore, sins again, that is, he eats his words again.

In the book of 1 Kings (17:1-17), when the prophet Elijah prayed on the mountain for three and a half years, God sent ravens to bring him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening. The church teaches people that this is a miracle of God and that we should believe God because the living God can do anything. If ravens did indeed bring bread and meat to the prophet Elijah in his day, why didn’t they bring it to Jesus and countless others after him?

Israel at that time had many worshippers of Baal and Asherah wooden idols. The prophet Elijah went into the mountains to escape persecution because Ahab, the king of Israel, who was supposed to believe in and serve God, was worshiping idols. To Elijah, who had to survive by eating food sacrificed to idols, they must have looked like ravens, symbolizing death. It’s fitting that God would liken them to ravens, which are more like the dead than the living. The Bible is clear in Ezekiel (18:4) that the soul that sins is dead. Because the prophet Elijah ate what the worshippers of Baal and Asherah sacrificed to their idols, we realize that God is truly wise. Furthermore, we realize that God will help us in our real lives according to our circumstances.

Considering that Jesus said that he could not speak except in parables (Matthew 13:34- 35), unpacking and understanding the words of this parable gives us the freedom to live our faith in the full truth. Therefore, everyone who hears it nods their heads and confesses that it is an authoritative word.

When we look at the Bible, we need to be careful to distinguish between the flesh and the spirit.

Can a human body live forever? Those who wait for the return of Jesus, hoping for eternal life, salvation, and resurrection, will believe. However, I have a hard time believing that my physical body can live forever. A major misunderstanding of the Bible is that people look at it without distinguishing whether it is addressed to the flesh or the spirit.

But He said to him, “Allow the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim everywhere the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:60).

Common sense dictates that one dead person cannot bury another dead person. What does this mean, then? If we’re not talking about two people who are both physically dead, but isn’t it right that one is dead in spirit and the other is dead in body? The Bible says that the soul that sins is dead before God (Ezekiel 18:4). This does not mean that the body is dead, but rather that the relationship between God and man is severed.

The classic example of the death of the spirit is the story of Adam and Eve, who died after eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis (2:17) says that eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil will surely kill people, but Adam lived to be 930 years old and had children. Adam and Eve, who were blessed by God, were cursed and expelled from the Garden of Eden, and have been suffering from sin ever since.

Because they did not keep God’s word and did not obey God, God treated Adam and Eve as dead in faith. This is called being spiritually dead. If we look at the Bible in this way, we can naturally understand that the eternal life spoken of in the Gospel of John (11:25-26) is the eternal life of the soul, not the eternal life of the body. Eternal life is believing in the one sent by the only God, believing and serving God according to his word, and walking in the Spirit.

God is a Spirit, and has always worked through earthly men.

Because God is a spirit (John 4:24), He has never appeared directly to people in this world. Instead, He has always worked through earthly men (Amos 3:7). For 6,000 years, from Adam and Eve to now, He has always spoken through a physical person, bringing the nation of Israel out of Egypt, sometimes judging them, sometimes restoring them. The same is true in this age. You probably won’t see God in person or hear His voice. You will be invited to believe in God through someone you know, or through a video or written word. God will speak through that person, touching you and leading you to trust Him.

What is the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Did the Noah’s flood judgment really happen? Will Jesus really judge by fire when he returns? Are there any other

questions you’ve had while reading this international bestseller, Bible? Do you want to get clear answers about that?

Mission officials are always available to help anyone who wants to learn more about the Bible. (goodnews2025starts@gmail.com)

Written by Kang Min-soo (Reporter)

Data provided by Na Myung-man (Christian Gospel Mission Education Department)

Page 7 Culture

A beautiful viewing stone, carved by a god over a long period of time, is turned into art

Stock Auction Representative Jung Moon-gon “May the flower stones that bloomed from lava become art that everyone can enjoy”

Meet the rare garden stones ‘Guyeon gugok’ and ‘Cheonjiam’, which have five of the most beauty.

The viewing stone all started with the human earnest need to be close to nature. If you look at our historical records, it’s easy to see that our ancestors also enjoyed it. When Toegye Lee Whang was appointed as the head of Punggi-gun, he packed only simple belongings and his favorite feldspar. Kim Jeong-gwang, a character from the time of King Seongjong, accepted the viewing stone for a bribe, and there are records of it. Jeong Yak-yong spent his time in exile in Gangjin playing with searching for a viewing stone. Lee Hwang loved multiply patterned viewing stone, and one of the typical ones is flower stone. The discovery of the 70- million-year-old rock 50 years ago has attracted much attention not only from viewing stone’s enthusiasts but also from geologists because of its academic significance. It is a pity that if it had been discovered earlier, it would have been recorded as a traditional stone left

by Toegye Lee Whang and become more known worldwide.

The Cheongsong area was a typical excavation site for flower stones, but mining was banned when the area was registered as a UNESCO Global Geoparks, so only the earliest pieces are available today. Because the stones are so rare, the general public has never heard of them, so they are not easily accessible except in museums.

After being mesmerized by the beauty of the flower stones, Jung Moon-gon, CEO of Stock Auction, traveled around the country collecting them. He doesn’t just keep them for his personal collection, but also holds exhibitions so that many people can see and enjoy them. Currently, he is holding a permanent exhibition of flower stones in collaboration with Coffee & the Coy, a unique cafe in Gimhae. Coffee & the Coy is a cafe specializing in silk carp, and you can see silk carp on the first floor and beautiful flower stones on the second floor. “We prepared this exhibition with the hope that the beautiful works carved by the God will not only stay in Cheongsong, but will be transformed into art that many people can see and enjoy,” said Jung Mungon. “We want to show the world that such works exist in Korea, and we plan to collect and display them in various ways,” he said, expressing his pride and ambition for the flower stones.

An interesting fact is that the value of a viewing stone is only visible to those who know it. To the uninitiated, it is just a stone, but to those who know its value, it becomes the most valuable jewelry of all. It contains a lot of history and philosophical art. It’s hard to define a viewing stone in a few words. It must have a shape, be hard, and deeply colored. It must also resemble nature and have a sense of age. These are called the five aesthetics of a viewing stone.

The stones can be categorized into viewing stones with mountain and water, patterned

stones, shaped stones, and garden stones. There are garden stones that are so rare that they are called Jeonrae stones(traditional stones) among the viewing stone’s lovers and chartered buses are hired to visit them. Guyeon gugok was a favorite of the dead Dr. Han Ki- tack, who established Korea’s first private stone museum. It was initially named 88 seon, but is now called Guyeon gugok to match its shape. It consists of nine valleys and nine ponds, and you can find various shapes. There is a cave that can fit an adult’s arm, and it’s also categorized as a mountain pumice stone, which gives the impression of nature in miniature. It was quarried from the Namhan River before the construction of the Chungju Dam, and its stone quality is water supply chocolate colored stone.

The Cheonjiam quarried in the vicinity of Guyeon gugok is also a must-see. There is a large hole in the middle that holds 35 liters of water, and you can see numerous mountain shapes to the left. It is called Cheonjiam because it is covered with wrinkles that resemble the Cheonji of Mount Paektu. Recent aerial photographs have revealed that the center pool of water is heart-shaped. It is an awe-inspiring piece that looks like a king’s chair in the middle.

The two pieces, which feature all five of viewing stone’s aesthetic qualities, were said to be most suitable as garden stones. The artwork itself is important, but the presentation is also important. The way it is presented can change the shape and beauty of the piece. In that sense, the two viewing stones seem to have found their place. Recently, the two works were installed at the Wolmyeong-dong Nature Temple in Geumsan-gun, Chungnam, which highlights the beauty of nature.

For inquiries about the Flower Stone Exhibition or to see the Guyeon gugok and Cheonjiam settled newly at the Wolmyeongdong Nature Temple, please contact Jung Mungon at (010- 4944-7427).

HongSeong-pil Reporter

Page 7 Culture

CGM Volunteer Group, ‘Becoming the light and salt of the world’

Volunteer work for suffering neighbors with God’s love for life

We sweat hard at the damaged sites, including the Taean Peninsula crude oil spill and the Geumsan-gun flood site.

‘Clean Movement’, which focuses on reducing disposable products and developing a

better world.

On April 13, in front of the breakwater of Mohang Port, Taean-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, Mohang-ri residents presented a plaque of appreciation to the CGM Volunteer Group (Chairman Jeong Nam-in). It has been 16 years since the worst crude oil spill occurred on the Taean Peninsula on December 7, 2007, due to a collision between a large oil tanker and an offshore crane. At the time, 1.23 million volunteers from all over the country flocked to the Taean area, and about 5,000 CGM volunteers also volunteered their time by manually wiping away oil from gravel and rocks. For his contribution, he received a plaque of appreciation from the Minister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs at the 1st anniversary of the Taean oil spill.

The CGM volunteer group received a certificate of appreciation from Mohang-ri, but did not receive an appreciation plaque, but received it at the miracle site this year, 16 years later. He continued, ‘Let’s save our precious ocean. Under the slogan ‘Marine trash OUT’, about 100 volunteers volunteered to clean up marine trash. The CGM volunteer group was always present at sites damaged by major disasters. When the largest flood in Geumsan-gun’s

history occurred in 2020 due to the discharge of water from Yongdam Dam, flood relief supplies were delivered to the victims and consolation was provided to local residents through flood recovery volunteer work. For these volunteer activities, he was awarded the ‘Geumsan County Governor Award’ in 2021.

Volunteering to take free longevity photos for seniors in rural villages around Geumsan-gun, South Chungcheong Province

The CGM Volunteer Group was founded in 2001 to put into practice the words of Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok of the Christian Gospel Mission (abbreviated as CGM): ‘Love life.’ Based on the words of Jesus, ‘Be the light and salt of the world,’ we have cried, laughed, and comforted our suffering neighbors with God’s love for life.

The volunteer activities of the CGM volunteer group are rooted in the founding philosophy of Pastor Jeong Myeong-Seok, who said, “Only love will bring peace,” from the early days of the mission. Based on this founding philosophy, we are carrying out vigorous and diverse volunteer activities to meet the needs of the local community in order to achieve the ‘realization of love and peace’ that humanity seeks. In the meantime, we have consistently carried out volunteer work for local communities and needy neighbors across the country.

Mother’s choir volunteering, disability experience camp, helping compatriots in Sakhalin, orphanage fund-raising bazaar, participation in the Rice Sharing Movement of Love, free medical service, park cleaning, blood donation campaign, urban environment maintenance, participation in volunteer festivals, national love environmental campaign, open arts festival About 30 volunteer programs, including participation, bus platform cleanliness drive, and volunteer work at mental retardation facilities, are being operated by each region and branch.

Every year, for the successful Geumsan World Ginseng Festival, they volunteer to clean up every morning. Around 30 volunteer members came out every day to clean the entire ginseng festival, focusing on the main stage of the ginseng festival, so that a clean and lively day at the ginseng festival could begin.

Seniors in rural villages around Geumsan-gun, South Chungcheong Province, volunteer to take free longevity photos once a month.

In addition, the CGM volunteer group is carrying out volunteer work by taking free longevity photos for seniors who are spending their old age lonely in the countryside. Together with hair and beauty volunteers in Daejeon, we visit small rural villages around Geumsan-gun, South Chungcheong Province once a month. Before taking pictures, they not only fix the seniors’ hair and make them look beautiful, but after the pictures are taken, they make photo frames with great care and personally visit them to deliver them, receiving a great response.

Seong-gyun Cho, a volunteer in charge of photography, said, “It is a hassle to move and install the lights, stage, background equipment, etc., but when I see the happy expressions of the seniors receiving the photos, it feels like I am being filial to my father who passed away, which makes me both heartbroken and proud.” He said, “I am deeply grateful to God for teaching me the joy of loving my neighbors and the spirit of practice.”

Develop clean movements such as a movement to reduce disposable products and a national cleanliness movement

Recently, the CGM volunteer group has been carrying out a clean movement in the environmental and spiritual sectors, looking at a world that is politically, economically, socially, and culturally turbulent. To ensure a clean environment for individuals, families, and regions, we are carrying out clean campaigns such as a movement to reduce disposable products, a national cleanliness movement, and an overseas goods sharing movement.

The mind has also become purer, so people know how to be considerate of each other, and I am also working on a mind-cultivating movement to create a world where people can live together with their hearts connected and a better place to live. Through these various volunteer activities, the CGM volunteer group received numerous service awards and appreciation plaques, including the Chungcheongnam-do Governor’s Award, the Daejeon Metropolitan City Volunteer Support Center Director’s Commendation, the Incheon Metropolitan City Skills Competition for the Disabled, the social welfare corporation Haddensol and Yeongwangwon, and the Geumsan-gun Governor’s Appreciation Plaque at the World Ginseng Expo. won the award.

Reporter Yang Oh-seok