This newspaper reported on the 7th that members of the Beautiful Village Community (BVC), were punished for infiltrating the Korean military and promoting viewpoints and activities that praise Kim Il-sung. BVC, a pro-Juche faction, is connected to the news publication Newsnjoy.
In addition to these activities, the BVC have brazenly attempted similar moves in universities, churches, and mission organizations. According to one source, Newsnjoy, through its affiliate Christian Youth Academy (CYA), recruits young people through seemingly normal activities and then turns them into "revolutionary warriors" through their activities. Some of these "revolutionary warriors" are sent to work at Newsnjoy.
The CYA is being used as a means to draw people away from churches and mission organizations to the BVC, whose adherents praise North Korea. Reporters have also confirmed the existence of a strategic win-over method known as "Seumteo," in which new recruits are taken to a preliminary training center, before being funneled to the BVC.
One source said, "Since they cannot let people enter the BVC right away, they seem to approach people in stepped approach, first teaching them to live in CYA community through "Seumteo' and then leading them to BVC by saying, "Let's go to a more perfect community."
This recruiting campaign even ensnared the Presbyterian Church in Korea (PCK: Kosin) and its mission organization Students For Christ (SFC), resulting in a great internal disturbance. SFC had hosted events at Jeju Gangjeong Village together with the CYA. They even invited Pastor Choi Chul-ho, the BVC's representative, as a lecturer in 2008. But SFC staff members, who lived in BVC facilities, showed excessive enthusiasm in winning over students to the BVC.
This caused a big clash with the Kosin denomination, whose Christian faith is completely different from BVC's ideology. Therefore, the Kosin-affiliated SFC came under scrutiny over its ties to BVC. As a result, Kosin leaders demanded SFC to disassociate from BVC. And SFC staff members who continued to associate with BVC were forced to resign from SFC. The report from the 67th General Assembly of Kosin, released in 2017, stated that "BVC has a tendency to interpret the Bible liberally on the foundation of Minjung theology. It also breaks from commonly accepted church regulations; for example, BVC allows unordained persons to preach. It is not a universal church defined by the Westminster Confession of Faith." Kosin still bears scars from this incident. (Minjung theology is a Korean form of liberal theology. It holds the view that "Jesus is the people." The word "Minjung" refers to the people, specifically those who are oppressed. Minjung theology can take the view that Kim Il-sung is an actual savior of the people who will drive out foreign powers—namely the United States of America—from the Republic of Korea and will unify the Korean Peninsula.)
A man named "Mr. Park," who was involved in the incident, left this review on the BVC website: "I first met Goscon(purportedly an Evangelical Protestant magazine, which merged with Newsnjoy in 2005) six years ago. Then I met Newsnjoy, Christian Youth Academy (CYA), and then the Beautiful Village Community(BVC)"…I think these events are becoming well-systematized." Mr. Park described the internal change in himself, resulting from ideological training, as a "second conversion."
What is this "second conversion" Professor Kim Chul-hong of Jang-shin University (Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary) was previously in a left-wing camp/group, but later renounced this affiliation. He described his experience of falling into communism as a "political conversion." Likewise, Mr. Park's experience of a "second conversion" seems to be of the same nature. Professor Kim talked about the intense moment of his "second conversion" this way: "I was reborn as a communist. I was willing to give my life for the communist revolution, and for the revolution, I came to think it was a glorious death."
Mr. Park also said in his review about attending the CYA, "After meeting God, my thoughts were changed, and I should have lived according to my new changed thoughts. But why had my life not changed even though my thoughts and beliefs were changed? This is the question Korean churches always face." He continued, "History looks for the reason among churches. Churches have been thoroughly deceitful and opportunistic throughout the era of imperialism, division, and military regime." Mr. Park also expressed anti-American views multiple times.
After refusing Kosin's demand that he leave the BVC, Mr. Park resigned from Kosin and now lives at the Beautiful Village Community located in Hongcheon, Gangwon-do.
What are BVC's teachings, and do they conform to orthodox Christianity? According to sources contacted by this magazine and previously reported about, BVC's beliefs and teachings resemble a religion that worships North Korea's Kim Il-sung. Consequently, Professor Kim Byeong-ro (from Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies) describes North Korea's Juche ideology as a "Supreme Leader religion." This "religion" borrows the Christian idea of salvation but changes its meaning into "social and historical liberation." And under this new meaning, the one who liberates the Korean people becomes the savior. Thus, in their viewpoint, Jesus Christ becomes displaced by Kim Il-sung as the new savior.
The representative of the BVC, Pastor Choi Chul-ho, said in an interview with C-channel magazine Good Day that "labor is a prayer." Such a view could be seen as acceptable within the diverse expressions of Christianity. However, in the BVC's mealtime prayer, they express gratitude only to heaven, soil, and insects, not to the grace of God and Jesus Christ. And BVC members sing Minjung songs, not hymns, during worship services. (Minjung songs refer to Korean revolutionary songs.)
Of course, Minjung theology and Contextual theology exist within Ecumenical Christianity, but the behavior of the BVC and their associates goes far beyond this. When closely analyzing Newsnjoy's articles over the past decade, its "church reform" seems completely different from the "reform" that the Reformed Church faith refers to. The BVC goes far beyond just simply correcting the mistakes of churches.
It is reported that people at the BVC sing an anthem associated with North Korean Red Guards titled "Youth" (Original title: For the One and Only Homeland). So, what "homeland" is BVC singing about? Is it God's kingdom or the Republic of Korea? Unfortunately, it's neither. When BVC sings about their "homeland," they mean North Korea, ruled with an iron fist by Kim Il-sung's Juche ideology.
God has never given humans any other name to be saved apart from "Jesus." And of course, faith in Jesus Christ is completely incompatible with faith in Kim Il-sung.
Therefore, Newsnjoy, Christian Youth Academy, the Beautiful Village Community, and other related organizations should clarify their official positions on this matter.
Related Articles:
- Newsnjoy Faces Controversy Over ‘Cell Organization Planted by Juche Faction in the Christian Community’
- The former director of NewsNjoy openly came out as “NL” and the current director “unchurched Christian”
- Key personnel of Juche faction with connection to Newsnjoy caught operating in the ROK armed forces and punished
- Christian Today’s reporting on Newsnjoy declared “valid,” legal case against Christian Today dismissed by prosecutor
