Contemporary religious conflicts and religious education in the Republic of Korea

Abstract

The Republic of (South) Korea is a multi‐religious society. Naturally, large‐ or small‐scale conflicts arise between religious groups. Moreover, inter‐religious troubles related to the educational system, such as educational ideologies, textbook content and forced chapel attendance, have often caused social conflicts. Most of the problems derive from mutual ignorance about the religion of other groups. Thus, religious education is important, for it offers a chance to learn about other religions. Significantly, middle and high schools in Korea have included ‘religion’ courses in their regular curricula since 1982. The regularization has provided different religious groups with opportunities to get together in order to develop a common curriculum of ‘religion’, to create new textbooks and to train teachers. It has resulted in inter‐religious dialogues on various dimensions. However, although some developments have been positive, further reform is needed in order to guarantee an education about the various religions of Korea in all publicly funded schools.

Keywords:

• Inter‐religious conflict
• Religious education
• Korea

Notes

1. This population census has been acknowledged as the most credible religious population survey, providing the most recent statistics based on the total population.

2. In March 1984, the New York Times noted that Christianity in Korea had doubled in size during the past ten years and would double again in the next ten years. According to the Population Censuses of 1985 and 1995, the number of Catholics increased by 58%, while the number of Protestants increased by 35% during this ten‐year period. Currently, there are over 50,000 Christian churches and more than 12,000 Buddhist temples in Korea. The Yoyuido Full Gospel Church in Seoul is still the biggest Christian church in the world, having the largest number of members, and several Korean churches are included among the world's 20 largest churches.

3. Related to this case, some Buddhist bodies supported a non‐governmental organization to hold a public hearing on the topic of religious freedom and religious education.

4. It is identified as Daejonggyo founded by Na Cheol. There are still many new folk religious groups that worship Tangun in Korea.

5. This has been often misunderstood and not only public schools but also private schools have regarded religious education as a taboo. However, the current Korean ‘Basic Law of Education’ stipulates nothing at all in terms of the religious education of private schools. Thus, private schools (especially schools established by a particular religion), in the purely legal sense, can give religious education for a particular religion, such as mission‐oriented education, though it might be considered a violation of the constitutional principle of church and state separation.

6. It is true that such a mandatory imposition is no problem in terms of the current ‘Basic Law of Education’, as mentioned above (note 5). However, imposed attendance at worship and compulsory religious education often meets the accusation of being unconstitutional. It would appear that the government has connived with such compulsory religious activities in religious schools.

7. This seems to have been added to avoid the problem of unconstitutionality against the forced religion course.

8. Here, it should be noted that the ‘section’ of the framework does not mean the ‘chapter’ of a textbook or the arrangement of school hours for students. Actually, religious schools seriously opposed the framework, arguing that it forced them to reduce the existing mission‐oriented content of courses. Despite the above framework, flexibility was tacitly allowed for the schools to make their textbooks and lessons more fitting to their needs. Accordingly, textbooks that were published in conformity with the religion curriculum were approximately divided into 30–40% of general theory and religious tradition, and 60–70% of particular religious contents.

9. I have taken part in such authorization procedures several times as an examining committee chairman. It is difficult to examine closely whether the textbooks are written in accordance with the current official curriculum, because not enough time is usually given for a precise assessment. Old mission‐oriented style textbooks are often submitted for authorization. Most textbooks are still not titled just ‘Religion’ but ‘Religion (Christianity)’ or ‘Religion (Buddhism)’. It is a gradual trend for the textbooks to extend the affirmative contents of ‘general theories’ and ‘other religions’. That is, the textbooks seem to be rapidly improving in their quality, every time the new ones are examined. Of course, some textbooks failed in the examination. However, most have passed subject to revisions and the deletion of errors.

10. ‘Comparative religion’, ‘history of religions’ and ‘Korean religion’ were required as core courses at the very beginning of this accreditation programme. Recently the requirements have changed and five out of 11 courses are required in addition to the courses of education. The 11 courses are ‘introduction to religious studies’, ‘world religion’ or ‘history of religions’ or ‘comparative religion’, ‘Korean religion’, ‘religious education’, ‘phenomenology of religion’, ‘philosophy of religion’, ‘sociology of religion’ or ‘anthropology of religion’, ‘psychology of religion’, ‘history of religious studies’, ‘religion and science’ and ‘contemporary religion’.