I Continue to Feel Anger After the President’s State of Emergency

Mar 1, 2025 – Special Dharma Assembly Commemorating the 106th Anniversary of the March 1st Movement, Korean Minutemen for Peace and Unification Assembly

Hello. Today is the special Dharma assembly commemorating the 106th anniversary of the March 1st Movement on the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation.

After completing his morning practice and meditation, Sunim headed to the Jungto Social and Cultural Center at 9:30 AM. He warmly greeted the religious leaders who were scheduled to give commemorative speeches, then shared tea with them at the second-floor café.

After finishing their tea, they moved together to the basement auditorium where the commemorative ceremony would be held.

Today’s special March 1st Dharma assembly was organized to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation and to remind us that today’s Republic of Korea was built through the sacrifices and hard work of our ancestors. Rather than merely remembering the past as history, the event was held under the slogan “The Cries of That Day Become My Actions,” signifying that we who live in the present should use the past as motivation to act for peace.

The event began precisely at 10 AM with about 200 people in attendance. First, everyone saluted the national flag, sang the national anthem, and observed a moment of silence for the martyrs, deeply honoring those who declared the great cause of Korean independence.

Next, members of the Seoul-Jeju branch performed a musical play commemorating the March 1st Movement. The title of the play was “The Past Helps the Present, and the Dead Save the Living.”

The story followed a young person from the MZ generation in 2025 who travels back in time to experience the March 1st Independence Movement of 1919, then returns to the present with a commitment to remember and carry on the spirit of the national martyrs in the present and future.

As the actors shouted the three cheers in the performance, the audience also waved their Taeguk flags and shouted the three cheers in loud voices.

“Long live Korean independence! Long live Korean independence! Long live Korean independence!”

Next, the Declaration of Independence was read.

It was deeply moving, as if the cries of that day were echoing once again.

Finally, the actors on stage and the audience below sang the March 1st Movement song together.

At noon on March 1, 1919 ♬
Bursting like a tidal wave, “Long live Korean independence!”
Taeguk flags everywhere, thirty million people united as one
This day is our righteousness, our life, our lesson
The Han River flows again, and Mount Baekdu stands tall Martyrs,
look upon this country Compatriots,
let us forever honor this day ♬

It was a moving performance that reminded us that everything we enjoy today was built upon the sacrifices of our ancestors who fought for the independence of our homeland.

Next, we listened to commemorative speeches for the 106th anniversary of the March 1st Movement. First, Park Nam-su, former head of the Cheondogyo religion and former chairman of the 100th Anniversary Committee of the March 1st Movement, gave a commemorative speech.

“This year marks 120 years since the imposed treaty of 1905, when our country lost its diplomatic sovereignty. I deeply wonder what our ancestors felt at that moment when they lost their country. This March 1st morning, I reflect on why our martyrs fought for independence. History often shows us the way. When difficult challenges come to us, it’s to create something new. I saw in yesterday’s news that our country’s democracy has fallen from the ranks of advanced nations. I don’t understand by what right we are destroying the democracy that was created through the sacrifice of lives in such difficult times. I hope that on this March 1st commemoration, all of you will become national representatives and patriots, participating in creating a new history.”

Next, we heard a commemorative speech from Bishop Park Kyung-jo of the Anglican Church of Korea.

“Being here today, singing the March 1st song and watching the play, I feel my heart stirring and my passion rekindling. Though our religions differ, the reason I attend Jungto Society’s March 1st Movement commemoration every year, setting aside other commitments, is because I believe that my small gesture of reenacting the spirit of the March 1st Movement is the right way to carry on that spirit. It means opposing war and dedicating ourselves to peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula, which is what Jungto Society aims for. Recently, I experienced martial law for the third time in my life. When the martial law issue was being discussed in various places, elderly clergy gathered and said, ‘If the president brings out tank units, let’s lie down under the tanks. Haven’t we lived long enough?’ Fortunately, tank units weren’t deployed, so I couldn’t lie down under them, but that spirit still lives in my heart. Through my interactions with many people at the Peace Foundation, I believe that embodying the spirit of the March 1st Movement in this era means following this path. I believe that only when North and South are unified can we open the way to overcome all contradictions. Until that day comes, let us pray and work hard together so that we can pass on a good country to our descendants.”

Next, we watched a performance by the Jungto Society Children’s Choir. The children’s choir, composed of children of Jungto Society Parent Dharma Meeting members, receives great love at Jungto Society events every year with their singing performances. Today, they specially coordinated with Jungto Society youth members. They sang “Becoming a Thousand Winds” with vigor. The stage backdrop featured drawings carefully created by the children.

In the children’s sincere singing, we could feel the hope of future generations and their desire for peace. Together, we shared the hope that the peaceful world these children wish for will come true.

Next, Pastor Park Jong-hwa, senior pastor of Kyungdong Church, gave a commemorative speech.

“The history of colonization and oppression has unfolded around the world over the past 100 years. Among the suffering countries, only our Republic of Korea has grown rapidly, escaped poverty, and become an advanced nation. It’s a unique case. Of course, politicians are currently making the country unstable, but this period of confusion will soon pass. Now we must make a leap to become a truly advanced nation.

There’s a famous saying: ‘Even if the world ends tomorrow, I will plant an apple tree today.’ I ask you all: ‘Jungto’ in Christian terms means ‘the Kingdom of God’ or ‘Heaven.’ A person living in the Jungto world is someone who has decided to plant a tree even if the world ends tomorrow. Today, I ask you not to plant an apple tree, but a tree of peace. I earnestly hope that beautiful peace trees will grow vigorously in the Jungto Garden of Eden, and that in a hundred years, it will become an incredible garden of peace.”

Finally, Kim Dae-sun, a Won Buddhist minister, gave a commemorative speech.

“Won Buddhism aims for peace, the common good of humanity, beyond religious solidarity. However, our society’s political leaders are currently fostering division and conflict. Particularly, since the state of emergency on December 3, the nation’s credibility has plummeted, conflicts have intensified, and our society has become one where all citizens suffer. Such nation-destroying actions never benefit national interests. In this morning’s news, I saw that fewer people are displaying the national flag. This is because the Taeguk flag has become a symbol of conservative forces. I could feel how much the conflict is growing. I pray for national integration of coexistence and harmony, overcoming conflict and division as soon as possible. I sincerely hope that the Republic of Korea will become great based on the spirit of the ancestors who led the March 1st Independence Movement.”

Next, we sang “Song of All Koreans,” which Venerable Yongseong composed himself. The powerful energy of our people filled the lecture hall.

Then, all attendees requested a Dharma talk commemorating March 1st from Sunim with three bows. Sunim emphasized that to overcome the increasing opposition and conflict, we all need to engrave the spirit of the March 1st Movement in our hearts.

“Today marks the 106th anniversary of the March 1st Independence Movement, when our country declared its sovereign independence. Without the March 1st Movement, what could today’s Republic of Korea use as its national pride? The Japanese imperialism was defeated by the Allied Powers, our nation was divided by the United States and the Soviet Union, and governments were established on both sides under their influence. Yet even in that dark era, we overcame all difficulties to declare our sovereign independence and established the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, a nation where citizens are the masters. Then, overcoming the pain of division and the ruins of war, we built today’s Republic of Korea. As a result, we can now have dignified self-respect as citizens of the Republic of Korea.

The Korean People Who Have Created a Brilliant Civilization Throughout 5,000 Years of History

After liberation, despite various complications during the U.S. military government, establishing the form of a sovereign independent nation proceeded relatively smoothly. However, building a nation where the people are the masters could not be achieved at once. It was only after overcoming numerous difficulties, including the April 19 Revolution, the May 18 Gwangju Uprising, the June Democratic Uprising, and the Candlelight Protests, that we have reached today’s Republic of Korea. The fact that our country has joined the ranks of economically advanced nations today is not simply because we attracted foreign capital and introduced foreign technology. We have already developed brilliant civilization and original technology, such as Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto in the Silla Dynasty, the Tripitaka Koreana and metal movable type in the Goryeo Dynasty, and Hangeul and the turtle ship in the Joseon Dynasty. Because of this technological capability and creativity accumulated throughout our long history, we were able to quickly acquire new technologies and move beyond simple imitation to develop new technologies. This was possible because of our 5,000 years of history and brilliant civilization.

The pastor earlier mentioned that our country is the only one among those that were colonized to have joined the ranks of advanced nations. This also means that our country should never have been colonized in the first place. However, at that time, our country had many internal problems as well. Not only was there Japanese oppression, but the ruling class at the time—the king and the aristocrats—focused on exploiting the people rather than caring for them, and failed to properly fulfill their role in leading the country. As a result, national power weakened, and eventually, we lost our country. There was much resistance, but it did not spread into large-scale resistance. This was because the ruling class’s wrongdoings broke the people’s will to resist. However, as 15 years passed after the imposed treaty of 1905 when we lost our country, and foreign oppression intensified, the people suffered even greater hardships. As a result, we were able to stage the March 1st Movement just 10 years after the forced annexation.

Today, South Korea has achieved remarkable accomplishments that are globally recognized, including economic growth, democracy, and the Korean Wave. However, even after 100 years, some aspirations of our ancestors remain unfulfilled. While we regained our lost country, the division forced upon us by foreign powers still remains unresolved. This year marks not only the 80th anniversary of liberation but also the 80th year of division. Although 72 years have passed since the end of the war, the Korean Peninsula has not yet ended the state of war and remains in an armistice. This is our greatest source of instability. South Korea is the only developed nation carrying the “Korea risk,” with a high possibility of war breaking out at any time. The Korean Peninsula remains the world’s only divided nation where North and South view each other as targets for elimination and aim weapons at each other. Ending the state of war and establishing peace is our most urgent task. Without resolving this source of instability, South Korea’s stability and growth will continue to be threatened in the future.

South Korea Caught in Extreme Hostility and Division

The problem is not just the hostile relations between North and South. The inter-Korean conflict has also become a cause of political division within South Korea, resulting in two factions engaged in endless conflict. As a result, South Korea today is caught in such extreme hostility and division that it almost resembles a civil war.

Now, the most important task before us is overcoming the division of the Korean Peninsula. To achieve this, ending the war and establishing peace is a prerequisite, and furthermore, overcoming division would mean accomplishing the final national task that our ancestors could not resolve. Although the cultural influence of the Korean Wave is growing, it is still difficult to say that our nation has made substantial contributions to world history and human development. However, we now have the foundation to do so. If we unite our strength and cooperate, we can make meaningful contributions to global peace and prosperity. We must move in that direction and establish our resolve to realize this goal.

Today, on the 106th anniversary of the March 1st Movement, we need to look back on our achievements and take pride in them. At the same time, we must reflect on what remains incomplete and work to fulfill these tasks. Only then can we create a more admirable South Korea and allow future generations to live with pride. Of course, the current situation is far from easy. However, we have overcome numerous difficulties in the past and continued to grow. If we approach the current inter-Korean relations and domestic conflicts wisely, we can certainly overcome them.

Why the Spirit of the March 1st Movement Is Even More Necessary in an Era of Conflict and Division

Looking at the current global situation, there are two major variables. One is the climate crisis that all of humanity must address, and the other is the US-China hegemonic competition. In this situation, it is difficult to overcome all crises with our strength alone. Therefore, we need practical cooperation even with Japan, which oppressed us in the past, by moving beyond historical issues. If we need to cooperate with Japan, excluding cooperation with North Korea, which shares the same ethnicity as us, is narrow-minded thinking. Moreover, why can’t we embrace different ideologies and thoughts within South Korea itself? This is an even more parochial attitude than excluding cooperation with North Korea.

Our Republic of Korea is a nation founded on liberal democracy. It is a country where individual thought, ideology, and freedom of belief are guaranteed. Therefore, we must acknowledge our differences. Forcing everyone to follow a particular value simply because it is deemed correct goes against the spirit of democracy. Democracy means respecting diverse beliefs, thoughts, and interests, and coordinating them through dialogue and compromise. The attitude that only one’s own position is right and the other is wrong only perpetuates division.

Some people may argue that we should cooperate with North Korea or Japan and may be generous in their approach. However, we should not insist that a particular argument is correct. We should respect diverse opinions and consider how to coordinate these issues to our benefit. Furthermore, this process of coordination aligns with the great vision of our ancestors who initiated the March 1st Movement.

Religious Leaders Who Cooperated for the Great Cause of National Independence 100 Years Ago

During the March 1st Movement, different religions had varying positions. Nevertheless, each religion set aside their immediate concerns and cooperated for the great cause of national independence, centered around Cheondogyo, which inherited the spirit of the Donghak Revolution. It was because of this solidarity that the March 1st Independence Movement could develop into a true national movement.

To overcome the limitations we face today, we need a more inclusive attitude. As conflicts intensify over whether one is pro-American or anti-American, pro-Japanese or anti-Japanese, pro-North Korean or anti-North Korean, it becomes increasingly important to acknowledge our differences and resolve issues through dialogue. I hope that we all engrave the spirit of the March 1st Movement in our hearts to resolve today’s conflicts and divisions.”

Taking Sunim’s dharma talk to heart, the special March 1st Independence Day ceremony concluded with the Four Great Vows.

Sunim moved to the basement dining hall with the religious leaders for lunch. During the meal, they shared deep concerns about the increasing division in national discourse.

Afterward, Sunim moved to The Peace Foundation to have tea with the religious leaders. Everyone expressed concern about the increasingly chaotic situation ahead of the Constitutional Court’s ruling on President Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment and the subsequent early presidential election.

Sunim made several suggestions on how to overcome the current conflicts and help South Korea find the right path forward.

“Many senior figures in society have been visiting to discuss how to wisely resolve the current chaotic situation. I’ve been meeting with various elders for several days now. Though difficult, there are two solutions. First, President Yoon Suk-yeol could apologize to the public for declaring a state of emergency and choose to resign voluntarily. This would help alleviate some of the social unrest caused by the controversy over whether the Constitutional Court will uphold or dismiss the impeachment. Second, we could amend the constitution to distribute presidential powers. The reason eight presidents have suffered misfortune over the past 38 years is not due to their personal shortcomings but because presidential authority is too concentrated. To prevent such misfortunes from recurring, some presidential powers should be distributed to the cabinet. For example, the president could be responsible primarily for foreign affairs, while the prime minister, selected by consensus between ruling and opposition parties in the National Assembly, would form a cabinet responsible for domestic affairs. Other constitutional amendments could be addressed after the presidential election. If both sides make these decisions, I believe much of the social unrest would subside.”

The religious leaders also freely shared their own thoughts.

Lively discussions ensued. Regarding constitutional amendments to distribute presidential powers, all religious leaders agreed with the social elders. However, concerning the suggestion that President Yoon Suk-yeol should voluntarily step down, some noted that first, he appears unwilling to do so, and second, the Constitutional Court has already concluded its deliberations, so they should wait for the results. The meeting concluded with an agreement to reconvene after Sunim held more meetings with social elders.

After expressing gratitude to the religious leaders for their commemorative speeches, Sunim headed to the broadcasting room of the Jungto Center to attend the Korean Minutemen for Peace and Unification (KMPU) Assembly.

After lunch, Sunim participated online in the 17th KMPU Assembly starting at 2 PM. About 150 prospective KMPU members who had completed the introductory course entered the video conference room, while senior KMPU members connected via YouTube. The assembly began with everyone reciting the Words for Practice together.

After the assembly members requested a dharma talk with three bows, Sunim explained the purpose of establishing the KMPU and discussed what lessons we can learn today from Silla’s unification of the Three Kingdoms, then began a dialogue.

The prospective KMPU members had completed lead volunteer training and studied our nation’s history through five sessions to become KMPU members. Five participants clicked the raise-hand button to discuss questions that arose during their studies. One person mentioned feeling anger about the situation unfolding after the December 3rd state of emergency and asked Sunim for advice on whether it’s possible to take action to change society correctly without anger.

I Continue to Feel Anger After the President’s State of Emergency

“Practitioners use great compassion and loving-kindness as their driving force. This means acting based on empathy and love. Looking at the origin story of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, when stranded on a deserted island and starving to death, no matter how much he called for his mother and father, there was no answer. In such a situation, most of us would likely face death with resentment and despair. However, Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva thought:

‘Somewhere in this world, there must be many people who, like me, are crying out for help but receive no response and die in pain without assistance. If I am reborn, whenever someone requests salvation in suffering as I am today, I will surely respond. Whoever calls me, from wherever, at whatever time, I will see them all, hear them all, and save them all.’

Thus, the emotion that became Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva’s driving force was not resentment but empathy and love. Currently, many South Korean citizens feel great anger watching the situation following the president’s declaration of a state of emergency. They use this anger as motivation to support the president’s impeachment. On the other hand, those opposing impeachment find the cause of the state of emergency in the opposition party, arguing that ‘the president had no choice but to declare a state of emergency because the opposition party continuously took opposing positions in parliament.’ The ruling party, angry at the opposition, argues that ‘someone currently on trial absolutely cannot become the next president.’ In this way, each side’s anger is clashing, and people who oppose the other side’s arguments are taking to the streets to protest. This is the current situation.

Of course, anger can be a strong driving force for action. However, while anger momentarily gathers great strength, it is difficult to sustain and can easily turn violent. Even if you succeed in revenge and resolve your resentment through anger, that energy has a short lifespan. As time passes, anger subsides, and the driving force naturally weakens. Conversely, if revenge fails, it becomes difficult to continue acting, and you eventually exhaust yourself. In this process, you easily give up and experience a deep sense of defeat.

We shouldn’t automatically assume that a president declaring martial law is bad; we can consider it from different perspectives.

How pitiful. How can someone be so foolish as to harm themselves and those around them? Shouldn’t we try to enlighten this person so they step down from the presidency voluntarily? Wouldn’t that help them commit fewer sins and prevent their life from being ruined further?

This means that instead of responding with anger and labeling someone as simply “bad,” we can approach them as a foolish and pitiful person. Many people believe impeachment is almost certain, but the president still seems to believe it will be dismissed. If impeachment is upheld, the president and ruling party will likely criticize the Constitutional Court and refuse to accept the decision, causing more confusion. As a president of a country, one should find ways to reduce national division. Voluntary resignation could be one solution. After resignation, everyone is equal before the law, so criminal trials can proceed. If special pardons are considered later, the fact that the president resigned voluntarily would be taken into account, potentially reducing public resistance. If stepping down is inevitable, one should find ways to minimize damage to both the country and oneself. Hoping for a dismissal of impeachment could lead to greater harm. The wiser choice would be to step down voluntarily, reducing confusion for the country and its people while minimizing personal damage. We need to find ways to reduce confusion for everyone.

Anger is not the only emotion that can motivate action. In fact, approaching others with compassion and love, seeing them as pitiful, allows for sustained action without anger. This approach makes it much easier to continue without emotional exhaustion and to persevere until the end.

Compassion is the first vow of a bodhisattva that the Buddha emphasized. Great compassion appears as the first among the ten vows of a bodhisattva. It refers to a compassionate heart that transcends simple feelings of love. The heart that feels pity for others and shares in their suffering is the starting point of the vows that a bodhisattva should make.

Looking at the March 1st Independence Declaration again on this Independence Movement Day, we can see that the reason for the independence movement was not simply born out of anger toward Japan. At its core was the declaration that Joseon was an independent nation and that the Korean people were citizens of a sovereign nation. Similarly, the reason for our actions doesn’t necessarily have to be anger.”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you.”

Questions continued to flow. After all curiosities were addressed, Sunim proceeded with the appointment ceremony for the Korean Minutemen for Peace and Unification (KMPU). First, Sunim presented an appointment certificate to one person representing the new KMPU members.

“This Jungto practitioner, having completed the introductory course for Jungto Society’s Korean Minutemen for Peace and Unification and having resolved to actively participate in the unification movement as a key player in peace and national unification on the Korean Peninsula, is hereby appointed as a Korean Minuteman for Peace and Unification.”

Sunim then presented appointment certificates to all the new KMPU members.

Senior KMPU members welcomed them with enthusiastic applause. Sunim then offered a blessing for the new KMPU members.

“Our nation has a long history. Throughout this extensive history, we have faced numerous national crises, but each time, the people themselves rose up to protect the country. They had no obligation to go to war, but they willingly risked their lives, prepared clothes and food, and readied weapons. Though they were unskilled without proper training, they fought against foreign invasions with the sole determination to save their country and made countless sacrifices. We call them ‘Uibyung’ (righteous army). It is because of their sacrifices that the Republic of Korea exists today.

We Will Overcome National Division and Achieve Peaceful Unification

We inherit the spirit of these righteous armies to become ‘Peace Minutemen’ who will establish and protect a peace system to prevent war from ever occurring again on the Korean Peninsula. We will also become ‘Unification Minutemen’ with the aspiration to reunify the Korean Peninsula, which has been divided for 80 years, into one nation again.

It is truly difficult to cultivate such a mindset. However, the 158 Korean Minutemen gathered here today have made a great vow and participated in this ceremony. May the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas recognize their noble aspirations. May they be healthy and become minutemen who devote themselves fully not only to their own lives but also to the lives of their neighbors and the future of the nation.

Today marks the 106th anniversary of the March 1st Movement. Inheriting the aspiration to reclaim our lost country and establish a new nation where the people are the masters, we will overcome the remaining task of national division and achieve peaceful unification to create a Republic of Korea where the nation and its people can soar. We will make our Republic of Korea stand tall in world history, not as a country that harms others, but as one that alleviates the suffering of other countries and gives them hope.”

Next, all Korean Minutemen for Peace and Unification (KMPU) members gathered their resolve and recited the KMPU pledge together.

“One. We will establish a peace system on the Korean Peninsula where war will never occur again. Two. We will usher in an era of unification that will determine the next 100 years. Three. We will strive for an East Asian community that coexists with neighboring countries…”

Finally, after reciting the aspiration prayer and uniting their hearts for unification, they sang “Our Wish Is Unification” with vigor, bringing the KMPU assembly to a close.

The new KMPU members continued sharing their thoughts in group video conference rooms.

As the sun set, Sunim moved indoors to proofread manuscripts and attend to various administrative tasks before concluding his day.

Tomorrow will be the 14th day of the 100-Day Dharma Talk. In the morning, Sunim will lead the Sunday Meditation Retreat at the Jungto Social and Cultural Center, and in the afternoon, he will participate online in the Lead Volunteers Assembly to deliver both the opening and closing Dharma talks.