Oct 6, 2024 – Day 2 of Content Volunteer Day, Unification Festival with North Korean Defectors
Hello. Today, after completing the second day of the Content Volunteer Day program, Sunim participated in the Unification Festival with North Korean defectors via online.
After completing his morning practice and meditation, Sunim headed from Dubuk Jungto Retreat Center to the Tomb of King Munmu. The volunteers who produce content of Venerable Pomnyun Sunim at Jungto Society also finished their morning practice and meditation at their accommodation. They then had breakfast and made their way to the Tomb of King Munmu.
At 8 o’clock, everyone gathered in front of the information sign for King Munmu’s Tomb to begin the second day of the Content Volunteer Day program. First, Sunim explained about the tomb.
“In 660, during the reign of King Taejong Muyeol, the Baekje kingdom fell. The next year, King Taejong Muyeol passed away. The Goguryeo kingdom fell in 668 after King Munmu ascended to the throne. Then, Silla fought against Tang China for eight years and achieved the unification of the Three Kingdoms in 676. The year when the Tang army was completely driven out of the Korean Peninsula is considered the year of the unification of the Three Kingdoms. King Munmu was the commander in chief during this period. That’s why the Silla people consider King Munmu to have played the most crucial role in the unification of the Three Kingdoms.
What Does It Matter What I Become If I Can Protect the Country
Baekje and Goguryeo were once threats to Silla but they had both fallen. Silla eventually established friendly relations with Tang China, which had also been a threat. The only remaining threat was across the sea in Japan. So when King Munmu was on his deathbed, he said, ‘I will become a dragon after death and protect against the Japanese invasion from the East Sea. So please bury my bones in the East Sea.’ Hearing this, a monk said, ‘No matter how powerful a dragon is, it’s still a beast, one class lower than humans. How can you want to become a beast? Your Majesty should go to the celestial realm, one class higher.’ However, King Munmu left his last words saying, ‘What does it matter what I become if I can protect the state?’ At that time, the mountain that the Silla people considered most sacred was Nangsan, where Queen Seondeok’s tomb is located. King Munmu was cremated at the foot of Nangsan, his ashes were buried in the East Sea, and a pagoda was built at the cremation site, which is the Neungji Pagoda. Instead of making a tomb, they built a pagoda in the Buddhist style. The contents of Samguk Yusa, which had been known simply as legends, have been mostly proven to be true through archaeological excavations.”
After Sunim finished his explanation, everyone walked together along the beach, approaching closer to King Munmu’s underwater tomb.
“Do you see how the water flows in and out between the rocks over there? What’s that white thing on top of the rocks?”
“Bird droppings.” (Laughter)
Gazing at the vast ocean, everyone united in spirit and pledged to diligently create content to help make people around the world happier. With a determination to spread hope from their respective positions, they took photos with Sunim by team. “Publishing Team,” “Video Team,” “Suha Team” – each group shouted their team name, commemorating this moment.
Then, they had some free time to look at the sea. They took photos with fellow practitioners whom they usually only meet online, and walked along the beach, engaging in conversations.
Leaving the sound of waves behind, they got back in the car and headed towards Gameunsa Temple Site.
Before climbing up to see the three-story stone pagoda, Sunim explained about Gameunsa Temple.
“We have arrived at Gameunsa Temple Site. Currently, the Daejongcheon stream flows on that side, but it seems that during that time, it flowed towards Gameunsa Temple. This is because when they were preparing the land for farming, they dug under the rice fields and found mostly gravel. So, it’s said that they made it possible for water from the East Sea to reach the temple. Not only did they create a waterway for the dragon protecting the country to come to the temple, but they also built a water channel under the main hall.
The temple was named ‘Gameunsa,’ meaning ‘Temple of Gratitude,’ to express gratitude for King Munmu’s unification of the Three Kingdoms. They also built the temple in a way that allowed King Munmu, who left a will saying he would become a dragon in the East Sea to protect against Japanese invaders, could come to the temple to listen to the Dharma by following the waterway.”
As the group climbed the stairs, they encountered the middle gate. On either side stood the east and west pagodas forming a pair. Beyond them lay the site of the golden hall, and at the very back was the lecture hall site. Traces of a drainage system that could have allowed water to flow remained beneath the golden hall. Sunim guided the group on a tour around the area.
Upon reaching the lecture hall site, Sunim led a warm-up session. The groups engaged in a fun program to test their sense of unity.
After spending some time to take in the fresh air and stretch out, Sunim took a commemorative photo with the group at a spot where both the east and west pagodas were visible.
“Content!”
Sunim and the group then boarded the bus and headed to Gyeongju. They disembarked at Woljeonggyo Bridge, famous for the story of Master Wonhyo and Princess Yoseok.
In front of Woljeonggyo Bridge, Sunim spoke about Master Wonhyo’s enlightenment and practice.
“Master Wonhyo was originally from the Hwarang class in Silla before later becaming a monk. In his youth, Wonhyo was an excellent writer and had extensive knowledge of Buddhism. However, feeling limited by his inability to fully practice what he knew, he renounced his position as a monk and became a layman again. When we closely examine Wonhyo’s life, it’s more likely that his breaking of precepts was intentional rather than a simple violation.”
After detailing Master Wonhyo’s practice process, Sunim explained how he came to break his precepts.
“…(omitted) Upon his awakening, Wonhyo understood that it wasn’t the lower-class people that needed salvation, but his own foolish thoughts. It wasn’t Bangul Sunim that needed to be saved, but Wonhyo’s foolish mind that pitied Bangul Sunim.”
The Being That Needs Salvation Is My Own Foolish Mind
“If all beings in this world are inherently pure and without defilement, wouldn’t that mean there’s nothing to save in the first place? At first, Wonhyo realized he had turned away from pitiful beings, so he engaged in bodhisattva practices. But upon true enlightenment, he saw that the world originally had nothing to be saved. The being that truly needed salvation was his own foolish mind. Salvation meant awakening to his own foolish mind. With this realization, the world became clear to him. So he returned to the lower-class neighborhood. When he first went there and then fled, he thought, ‘I shouldn’t turn away from these people, I should save them all.’ But now, after his enlightenment, was he going back to save them? Or was there no one to save?”
“There was no one to save.”
“With no one to save, he returned to that village to become friends with the lower-class people. However, this time, they tried to revere him as the famous Master Wonhyo, rather than befriend him. While Wonhyo was indeed responsible for having turned away from them thinking they were impure, now the people were responsible for trying to revere him as holy. What could he do about their actions? Yet, Wonhyo took even this as his own problem. So, if he had previously rejected impurity due to his bias, this time he decided to reject holiness.”
“How does a monk who has renounced the world reject holiness? What would get people who admire Pomnyun Sunim suddenly call him ‘that crazy guy?’ This is precisely where breaking precepts comes into play. If a scandal involving a woman occurs, all the merits that have been accumulated disappear instantly. Instead, people point fingers saying, ‘He’s gone mad.’ Even if one goes to prison, people might think, ‘There must be some intention behind it,’ but if there’s an issue with a woman, they say, ‘That monk is no different.’ So Wonhyo thought he should discard this holiness himself. The best way to discard holiness is to cause an issue with a woman.”
Great Master Wonhyo: Abandoning Holiness to Befriend the Common People
At that time, when princesses married, they were required to leave the palace and live outside. Princess Yoseok, the king’s sister, was living outside the palace. However, she was living alone as a widow because her husband had died in the unification war. Meanwhile, Wonhyo, returning from Namsan, was enjoying the moonlight while crossing the Woljeong Bridge when he fell from the railing and got his clothes completely soaked. Finding himself smiliar to a drenched rat, he needed to change his clothes. It seems Princess Yoseok, who lived nearby, saw this. So she took Wonhyo to her home to change his clothes, and there, something happened between them. When rumors spread that Great Master Wonhyo had broken his vows, he was completely ostracized by mainstream society. Wonhyo was only rehabilitated 500 years after his death. Although we hold Great Master Wonhyo in high regard now, at that time, after the incident, he was no longer a monk but lived under the name of Soseunggeosa (a layman of little virtue). He disappeared without a trace, and it’s unknown where he died. However, 500 years later, the books Wonhyo wrote became incredibly famous in China, and the Chinese people began to call the author of these writings a Bodhisattva. Later, during the Goryeo Dynasty, when National Preceptor Uicheon went to study in China, he found that Wonhyo had been elevated to sainthood there. At that time, people in Goryeo didn’t even know who Wonhyo was. So, they rehabilitated Wonhyo’s reputation. The reason Wonhyo’s records remain in the Samguk Yusa is that it was written during the Goryeo Dynasty, after Wonhyo had been rehabilitated.
When Wonhyo broke his precepts and was shunned by everyone, he retreated to the lower class neighborhood. To these people, Wonhyo was now someone who had been criticized and driven away by society, so they no longer felt the need to revere him. As a result, they quickly became friends. In the Samguk Yusa, there are many records depicting Wonhyo’s life as he befriended the lowest caste. In those days, labels like ‘snake catcher’ or ‘mulberry-picking woman’ were used to refer to the lower class, similar to how ‘Cunda, the son of a blacksmith’ was used during Buddha’s time.
One day, the mother of Wonhyo’s snake-catcher friend passed away. The friend said to Wonhyo, ‘My mother has died. Let’s hold the funeral together.’ Wonhyo agreed to go. At that time, the lower class didn’t use coffins. They simply disposed of the bodies. So, they wrapped the mother’s body in a coarse cloth, with the son carrying her head on his shoulder and Wonhyo carrying her legs on his. They dug a hole and as they were burying the mother, the friend asked Wonhyo, ‘Hey, didn’t you study quite a bit in the past? Please chant a prayer for my mother.’ So, Venerable Wonhyo spoke in simple terms: ‘May you not die. Being reborn is suffering. May you not be born. Dying again is suffering.’ He didn’t use difficult concepts like form or emptiness, but spoke simply. Yet, even this was too long for his illiterate friend. When asked to make it shorter, Wonhyo said, ‘Birth and death are suffering.’ He condensed it even further. Only then did his friend nod in agreement, and they completed the funeral. This shows how Wonhyo remained among the common people in a simple and friendly manner.
The lower class couldn’t read. Wonhyo, being an intellectual, didn’t know how to capture their interest. But one day, he noticed a jester come and perform dances and songs, which made the lowest caste laugh and get excited. Seeing this, he was inspired and thought, ‘Ah, that’s how I should do it.’ So he composed songs with the Buddha’s teachings and danced to them. This is known as Wonhyo’s ‘Muaemu’ and ‘Muaega,’ meaning dance and song without hindrance. In this way, he spread the Dharma to the common people through their own culture. After all, talking about the emptiness of all phenomena wouldn’t resonate with them. Before Venerable Wonhyo, Buddhism had started from the top and was mainly transmitted to the aristocratic society. After Wonhyo, Buddhism was transmitted to the common people in a practical way.
Sunim rose from his seat and crossed Woljeong Bridge, heading towards the Choi Clan’s House in Gyeongju. After visiting the Confucian school, he proceeded to Banwolseong Fortress.
Upon arriving at Banwolseong, Sunim examined the Seokbinggo (ice storage) and then returned to sit together with everyone in the forest.
The two-day program for content volunteers concluded with a closing ceremony. Every year, Sunim guides many people around Gyeongju. While the locations remain the same, the content varies slightly to suit the circumstances of those accompanying him. Today, he spoke extensively about the attitude of service.
Finally, the volunteers requested a closing Dharma talk from Sunim. While encouraging the content production volunteers for their hard work, Sunim explained how to deepen one’s practice through the right mindset of service.
“Did you get some fresh air during these two days?”
“Yes.”
“Did you regain some energy by getting some sunlight after living in the shade?”
“Yes.”
“The source of all life is sunlight. All living beings survive on solar energy, yet the sun doesn’t boast, saying, ‘I am the source of your life.’ Air and water are also sources of all life, but they don’t show off. If there were no bees and butterflies, many fruits in this world wouldn’t bear fruit. But bees and butterflies don’t brag, ‘Without us, fruits wouldn’t bear.’ However, humans alone do a tiny bit of good and boast about it endlessly, while doing a mountain of bad things and only revealing a fraction to the world. This doesn’t align with nature’s principles, so no matter how hard we try to live happily without suffering, we always end up in misery. It’s the same throughout history. Kings are those who take everything from the world. They take beautiful women, good things, and talented people. While always taking, they portray themselves as benevolent parents of all people, bestowing favors upon the world.
To Those Who Have Served Quietly Behind the Scenes
The Buddha, owning nothing, begged for food, wore discarded clothes, and slept under trees, but never once asked kings or rich people for help. Moreover, when they were suffering, he pitied them and enlightened and comforted them. Since the beginning of human history until now, those who have discovered and created truly important and valuable things in our lives have mostly been nameless individuals. In recent times, some of these people have become slightly known, but most remain anonymous. So, if we think more naturally and consider the long history of humanity, we can understand that life is originally about living without leaving a name behind. However, when we think narrowly and short-term, we try to publicize our merits, receive greetings, and seek praise. That’s why we can’t help but suffer.
In times like these, even if you volunteer for ten years, there will be no record of who transcribed the Dharma talks. Only Venerable Pomnyun Sunim will remain. Perhaps the name of the person in charge might be recorded later, but for most of you here, your names won’t be remembered. Nevertheless, this work can continue steadily because you have adopted the perspective of ‘It doesn’t matter what I become. If good Dharma is spread to the world and people’s suffering is alleviated, that’s enough. Why should we quibble over whose merit it is?’
Our bodies are the same. Internal organs like the stomach, large intestine, small intestine, and liver, though not visible from the outside, maintain our life. Most work is done by hands and feet. However, the face doesn’t do much. Yet, the face symbolizes us. That’s why we usually cover everything else and only show our face, but when we feel ashamed, we cover only our face. Isn’t that interesting? Right now, you’re all covering your bodies and showing only your faces. If there’s a fire in a bathhouse and you have only one towel, would you cover your body or your face? You’d cover your face. When the face is covered, no one knows who you are. If they don’t know who you are, it doesn’t matter if your arms and legs are visible. Similarly, our bodies have specific roles. Have your hands and feet ever protested because your face was showing off?
In the same way, in Jungto Society, Sunim mainly plays the role of the face. It’s not because Sunim is particularly special, but because that’s his role. When people pass by on the street, they don’t say to you, ‘You transcribe Dharma talks, right?’ ‘You make Dharma Q&A videos, right?’ ‘You write A Day in the Life of Sunim, right?’ They all just look at me and say, ‘It’s Venerable Pomnyun Sunim!’ That’s because I play the role of the face. Even though the face role might seem good, it’s not actually that great.

Thanks to You, the World Is Becoming a Happier Place
If we consider ourselves as one body, Sunim plays the role of the face, while the Dharma teachers and leaders act as the visible hands and feet. You are the important parts of the body hidden beneath the clothes. I want to express my gratitude for the crucial roles you’ve been quietly playing behind the scenes. Thanks to you, Jungto Society continues to exist. Because of your work in unseen places, Jungto Society can play a role in developing our society in a positive direction. So, even if there are some difficulties and challenges, please continue to carry on with this work steadily.
If Jungto Society were to use your efforts to do bad things, you should stop volunteering. But looking at what Jungto Society has done so far, it doesn’t seem to be doing anything bad, does it? Don’t you think it’s doing a lot of good things?
“Yes.”
“That’s not something you can be absolutely certain about either. You always need to keep a watchful eye. The reason you’ve been able to volunteer for so long is because you’ve had the broad-minded attitude of ‘It’s enough if I eat and get better, if I drink and quench my thirst, if I eat and feel full – there’s no need to emphasize who made it.’ I hope you continue to maintain that mindset. In return, I’ll occasionally give you opportunities to see the sunlight. Since I’ve taken a day and a half of my time because you’ve been in the shadows for so long, when you return to your daily lives, please carry out your assigned duties even more diligently.”
“Thank you.”
With a big round of applause, the two-day program for Content Volunteers’ Day came to an end. Sunim shook hands with each volunteer heading home, once again expressing his gratitude.
“Please continue to work hard in the future.”
Sunim immediately walked out of Banwolseong for his next schedule.
After returning to Dubuk Retreat Center, Sunim participated online in the Unification Festival with North Korean defectors starting at 2 PM. As he took his seat in front of the camera in the broadcasting room, the host, dressed in hanbok, greeted everyone.
“Hello to all our compatriots across the country. We will now begin the 21st Unification Festival of 2024.”
The Unification Festival is being held as a hybrid event, both online and offline, in keeping with the times. Today, about 800 people gathered in 22 locations across different regions to participate. Koryo people also attended, adding to the event’s significance. Additionally, about 400 people joined online, bringing the total participation to around 1,200 people. First, everyone watched a video of the joint ancestral rite together.
Good Friends volunteers from the Incheon-Gyeonggi West region went to Imjingak Mangbaedan to perform a joint Chuseok ancestral rite, renewing their hopes for peace and unification. North Korean defectors wiped away tears as they watched the video, reminded of their hometowns.
After that, Sunim gave words of encouragement to the North Korean defectors, followed by introductions from each region, starting with Anyang.
“Who are we~ The greatest (clap clap) Anyang (clap clap) Good (clap clap) Friends (clap clap) Good Friends yeah!”
The Bucheon branch showed a passionate cheer by adapting Oh! Pilseung Korea.
“Oh Unified Korea (clap clap), Oh oh oh oh oh (clap clap clap), South-North Unification Peace Unification Independent Unification, We are one!”
After the regional introductions, the talent show began in earnest.
Various performances followed, including songs sung together by South and North Korean children, janggu performances, piano recitals, trot singing performances, and saxophone performances.
As the talent show’s excitement grew, there was a brief Dharma Q&A session with Sunim. Two people shared their life concerns with Sunim and had a conversation before returning to the talent show.
The Hwaseong region formed a choir called the South-North New Friends Choir, thinking it would be good for South and North to sing together for the Unification Festival. They practiced for two months. Dressed neatly, they received a big round of applause for their beautiful harmony in singing “Beautiful Country.”
After all the performances, the Dharma Q&A session with Sunim continued. One person, who had been settled in South Korea for seven years, asked for Sunim’s advice on how to live, feeling like a person on the border, neither South Korean nor North Korean.
How Should I Live as Someone Who Is Neither South Korean nor North Korean?
“The concern about one’s identity doesn’t arise because you came from North Korea to South Korea, or from South Korea to North Korea. This is an issue that arises even if you emigrate from Korea to the United States, or if you go to live in Canada or Europe. This is a problem that everyone faces when they move to live in another country. The biggest issue that arises from migration is identity confusion. There are many people who struggle with identity issues, thinking, ‘I’ve lived in Australia for 20 years, but I’m neither Korean nor Australian. What am I?’ And even while living in Korea, many people feel guilty about not being able to take care of their parents because they’re living abroad, even though they wouldn’t take good care of them if they were in Korea. This is the biggest characteristic of immigrants. Because you’ve come from North Korea to South Korea, you always feel guilty about not being able to properly care for your parents or family members left in North Korea. And you also experience identity confusion, not knowing whether you’re South Korean or North Korean.
You were born in North Korea, but you’re currently living in South Korea. This is your identity. There are also people who were born in Korea but live in America. We call such people ‘Korean Americans’. They are Americans of Korean descent. Then what can we call you? We can call you a ‘North Korean-South Korean’ or a ‘Joseon-Republic of Korea person’. This is your identity. So there’s no need to keep thinking that you’re not the same as South Koreans. You can’t be exactly the same as South Koreans. That’s because you lived in North Korea for 30 years. How can someone who has lived only in South Korea since birth be the same as someone who lived in North Korea and then came to South Korea? How can someone who has only lived in North Korea be the same as you, who was born in North Korea but now lives in South Korea?
So you shouldn’t look at yourself by comparing with others and asking, ‘Am I North Korean? Am I South Korean?’ You are a person born in North Korea who now lives in South Korea. This is your identity. You’ve been exposed to capitalism a bit more than North Koreans, but less than South Koreans. You need to creatively construct your identity in this way.
Nowadays, due to the large number of immigrants worldwide, when you go on an overseas trip and fill out an entry card, they always ask three questions: ‘Where were you born?’ ‘Where do you live now?’ and ‘What is your nationality?’ How should I answer these? For me, the place of birth is Korea, the place of residence is Korea, and the nationality is Korea. It’s easy to think, ‘Why are they asking the same thing three times?’ But in this world, there are many people whose birthplace, nationality, and place of residence are all different. That’s why they ask these three questions.
In the case of the questioner, your place of birth is North Korea. Your nationality is South Korea. Where do you live now? If you live in Japan, write Japan; if you live in America, write America. This is your new identity. There’s no need to constantly use others’ identities as a standard and think, ‘I’m neither a South Korean nor a North Korean.’
‘I am a Korean of North Korean origin. I was born and raised in North Korea, and currently live in the Republic of Korea.’
This is your identity. So you know more about North Korea than South Koreans do, and more about South Korea than North Koreans do. You speak Seoul dialect not as well as South Koreans, but better than North Koreans, and you speak Pyongyang dialect not as well as North Koreans, but better than South Koreans. Being able to speak both Seoul and Pyongyang dialects is part of your identity.
The same applies to religion. There are people called ‘Christian Buddhists.’ Their background is Christian, but they practice mind training through Buddhism. Such a person is different from a regular Buddhist. We call this a ‘Christian Buddhist.’ They don’t abandon their original religion but embrace another one. Similarly, you are a South Korean of North Korean origin.
People with such an identity emerged twice in Korea. After the division of North and South Korea, during the Korean War, five million people came down from the North to the South. In South Korea, these people are called Ibuknegi, meaning those who came from North Korea. Life was extremely difficult for them when they arrived in South Korea. While the people living in South Korea had their own land and houses, these newcomers from North Korea had neither. Without land or houses, their only option was to engage in trade. However, at that time, trading was looked down upon. But as South Korean society transformed into an industrial one, rapidly becoming capitalistic, the Ibuknegi ironically ended up becoming well-off. While farmers gradually became poorer, traders made a lot of money. Although they were at a disadvantage for about ten years after coming to South Korea, as the world changed, these people became more advantaged. As a result, there are hardly any poor people among the Ibuknegi in South Korea now.
Similarly, what about the young people in South Korea today? They only want comfortable jobs dealing with computers and avoid jobs that involve repairing machines or hard labor, don’t they? In South Korea now, foreign workers are doing all those jobs. People who came from North Korea did all kinds of work to survive. As fewer and fewer people are willing to do these jobs in the future, labor costs will become much more expensive. In such a situation, it’s possible that North Korean defectors or foreign workers might end up living better in Korean society.
So, please don’t compare your identity to others and think, ‘I’m neither this nor that.’ You have experienced all kinds of hardships in North Korea before coming to South Korea, so no matter what work you do here, it’s not as difficult compared to when you lived in North Korea, right? Therefore, you have much more self-reliance than South Koreans. Even when South Koreans immigrate to the United States, they tend to live better than average Americans. They might not be as wealthy as the very rich, but they live better than the average middle class. Why is that? It’s because they work hard after immigrating.
So, never hide your hometown. There’s no need to boast about it either. If someone asks, ‘Where are you from based on your accent? Are you from Yanbian?’ you can simply reply, ‘No, I’m from North Korea.’ When asked about your hometown, proudly answer ‘Pyongyang’ if it’s Pyongyang, or ‘Chongjin’ if it’s Chongjin. There’s no need to hide it. However, don’t volunteer this information if not asked. Just don’t hide it when asked. Being born and raised in North Korea is not a crime. Why would it be a crime to be born in North Korea? Being born with yellow skin is not a crime. There’s no need to feel inferior for not being white. Being born a woman is not a crime either. Don’t think of these things as inferior or try to hide them. But there’s no need to boast about them either. So, I hope you live with confidence.
Embrace your identity as a North Korean-Korean. North Korea as a country itself is not inherently bad. If we must point out issues, it’s the political system and policies of North Korea that are problematic. So, there’s no need to hide the fact that you were born and raised in North Korea. Also, don’t feel guilty about coming to South Korea if you ever return to North Korea in the future. You’ve learned and studied many good things in South Korea, right? Thanks to that, if you return to your hometown someday, you’ll be able to work much better than those who have stayed in North Korea.
After the Vietnam War ended, about 4 million people from South Vietnam fled by sea as boat people. They lived in the United States, and when Vietnam opened up, the money they sent back greatly helped Vietnam’s initial development. What seems bad now can be helpful later. When North Korea opens up in the future, you’ll likely have significant influence there. Why? Because you’ll have more money and knowledge compared to those who stayed. Your friends and relatives back home might envy you. They might criticize you now, but who knows what will happen later? So don’t be discouraged. I want to tell you to settle well in South Korea and wait for the right time.
After concluding the Dharma Q&A, Sunim proceeded with the talent show awards ceremony. He presented the popularity award, encouragement award, and excellence award in order, before finally announcing the grand prize winner.
“The grand prize goes to the North-South New Friends Choir from Hwaseong region, who sang Beautiful Country. Congratulations!”
The Unification Festival concluded with an encore performance of the song by the grand prize-winning North-South New Friends Choir from Hwaseong region.
“Until we meet again, until the day you return to your hometown, I sincerely wish you all good health and happiness.”
The live broadcast ended with the host’s closing remarks, looking forward to next year’s event.
As the sun set, Sunim spent the evening working indoors before concluding his daily activities.
Tomorrow, a Dharma Q&A session organized by Gilbeot, a group of broadcasting, film, theater, and art professionals, is scheduled to be held at the Jungto Social and Cultural Center.