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Template:Korean name Jung Myung-Seok (born February 3, 1945) is the founder of an international Christian religious movement Providence. He is also known by the names of Joshua Jung, and JMS. Since founding his first church in Seoul, South Korea in 1978 Jung has developed his organization into a religious movement. After rape allegations he left Korea in 1999. Jung was arrested by Chinese police in May 2007and detained in China for 9 months. In April 2009, the Supreme court of South Korea sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment.

Early biography

Jung was born in Geumsan County, South Chungcheong.

On June 1, 1978 he left his village at 34 years old and went to Seoul, South Korea. There he began his first church which has grown into the international religious movement known as "Providence."

Sexual abuse charges

In 1999, Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) in Korea reported about sexual abuse allegedly committed by Jung. According to former members, Jung had forced dozens of women to have sex with him, and said that they would go to hell if they told anyone what he had done. This resulted in Jung fleeing the country one day later. He was officially charged in 2001. Accusations also surfaced in other countries, and in November 2001 he was investigated by Taiwanese authorities causing him to flee Taiwan.

Jung was arrested in 2003 for overstaying his visa in Hong Kong and was due to be returned to Korea, but when released on bail, fled the extradition hearing.

In April 2006, a press conference was held by the anti-cult group EXODUS in which four unidentified women accused Jung of organised sex crimes against themselves and other women which necessitated medical treatment.

After nearly 9 years on the run, Jung was finally arrested by Chinese police in May 2007. He was extradited back to South Korea on February 20, 2008. Jung has also been charged with fraud and embezzlement of church funds.

South Korean media reported that Jung had claimed to have received a "special revelation" from God, and that many female members of his cult were ordered to undress for a "health check" and have sex with him to wipe off their sins. Jung denies the charges, his followers say.

In 2008, in response to the rape allegations, Providence pastor Bae Jae-yong said that it was "distorted rumor that was created by the people who have slandered him" and that "all fundamental truth will be clarified by at the prosecutor's office".

In January 2008, the Supreme Court of South Korea found that Jung forced two female followers to have sex with him as part of a religious purification ritual. Providence followers started riots outside of newspapers that reported the court's verdict, forcing The Dong-a Ilbo to temporarily shut down.

In August 2008, Jung was convicted of sexual abuse charges and sentenced to six years imprisonment. In April 2009, the Supreme court of South Korea sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment.

As of 2012, as many as 10 women are still being kept for sexual exploitation by church leaders, according to a watchdog organization. At one point over 10,000 women were recruited for such purposes. A press conference produced video evidence, with photos of naked women licking pictures of Jung. Jung's followers responded that the videos were made before 2008 and did not amount to proof that the women actually had intercourse with Jung.

Jung’s teaching

Jung's teaching is explained to followers in a series of 30 lessons. After a series of Bible studies aiming to demonstrate that the Great Tribulation has already begun, the final, most secret lectures prove that Jung is the Messiah using numerology, explain that those who do not "meet" him will not go to Heaven, and warn that any who betray him are committing a grave crime. It is also taught that Eve was 14 years old when she first had sex with Adam.

Jung believes he has come to finish the incomplete message and mission of Jesus Christ, asserting that he is the Messiah and has the responsibility to save all mankind. Jung claims that the Christian doctrine of bodily resurrection is false but that people can be saved through him.

Jung's teachings are similar to the Unification church. (See Unification theology, Divine Principle.) The main differences are that:

1. it identifies Jung as the Messiah (rather than Sun Myung Moon)
2. it teaches that original sin, originating in Eve's intercourse with Satan, can be defeated by having sex with Jung.
3. The only way to wipe clean sexual sin is confession and complete repentance.

According to former members, Jung believes he has come to finish and complete the message and mission of Jesus Christ, asserting that he is the Messiah and has the responsibility to save all mankind.

Jung encourages his followers to form non-religious organisations for the purpose of attracting young people without initially revealing the religious nature of the group or their real motives, in a practice which has been described as "fraudulent" by lawyers.

Jung's religion is seen as a serious problem in Korea and Japan and as one of Asia's most notorious cults.

See also

• List of messiah claimants
• List of people who have claimed to be Jesus

References

1. "Retrial needed for the case of Jung Myung Seok". Civil Government. Retrieved 23 March 2011. {{cite journal}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
2. ^ "Asian Cult Leader Arrested". The Australian. 2007-05-15. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
3. ^ "Alleged South Korean Rape Cult Leader Arrested in China". Fox News. 2007-05-16. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
4. ^ "Cult head jailed for sex crimes". AFP. 2009-02-10. Retrieved 2009-02-10.
5. "기독교복음선교회 후유증털고 새로 결집" (in Korean). Break News. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
6. "'천국성령운동'을 통한 올바른 기독교인의 실천신앙 강조" (in Korean). Yonhap News. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
7. Asahi Shinbun. "2,000 Japanese join cult led by suspected sex offender on the run from Interpol". July 29, 2006.
8. "China extradites SKorea cult leader". Radio Australia. 2008-02-21. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
9. "Visitor board". Korean National Police Agency. 2005-07-04. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
10. ^ "Cult boss extradited to face sex raps". JoongAng Ilbo. 2008-02-21. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
11. "Visitor Board". Korean National Police Agency. 2003-09-21. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
12. "Accused rapist cult leader faces extradition to Korea". News Limited. 2008-01-02. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
13. ""JMS 정명석 성폭행 계속...정부 뭐하나" 울분". CNB News. 2006-04-18. Retrieved 2006-11-21. English:
14. ""JMS 정명석 성폭행 계속...정부 뭐하나" 울분". CNB News. 2006-04-18. Retrieved 2007-01-20.
15. "China extradites chief of alleged S. Korean rapist cult". AFP, The China Post. 2008-02-21. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
16. ^ "South Korean religious sect leader extradited from China to face rape charges". International Herald Tribune, AP. 2008-02-20. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
17. ^ "South Korean fugitive cult leader Jung extradited back to Seoul". Associated Press Television News. 2008-02-20. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
18. "Reuters Television News". Reuters. 2008-02-20.
19. "Religious sect leader formally arrested on rape charges". Yonhap. 2008-02-23. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
20. "JMS 정명석씨, 신도 성폭행 6천만원 위자료 확정". DongA. 2008-01-11. Retrieved 2008-01-27.
21. Chosun Ilbo. 언론계에 'JMS 공포' January 17, 2008.
22. "JMS leader sentenced to 6 years". Korea Herald. 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
23. "JMS 정명석, 탈퇴자에 대한 테러 지시"
24. 정재원. "'나체 동영상' 파문으로 다시 주목받는 JMS" NewsNJoy
25. Yoshihide Sakurai. "Cult Problems on Campus : Why were students involved in the “Setsuri” (Providence) cult group?" Journal of Higher Education and Lifelong Learning 15 (2007)
26. Yoshihide Sakurai.カルト問題と格差社会との関連". Religion in the Modern World 2007. Tokyo: Heibonsha, 2007.
27. "Suspect of Corrupt Cult Founder Arrested in China". The Korea Times. 2007-05-13. Archived from the original on 2007-09-13. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
28. "Cult Leader Extradited to Korea". The Korea Times. 2008-02-21. Archived from the original on 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
29. ^ "'Love' cult snares student". Japan Times. 2002-10-27.
30. 30 Lessons Book
31. "Suspect of Corrupt Cult Founder Arrested in China". The Korea Times. 2007-05-13. Retrieved 2008-02-27. {{cite news}}: Check |archiveurl= value (help)
32. ^ "Asahi Shimbun editorial: Another problem cult". Retrieved 2006-12-19.
33. "Cult aimed at elite in 50 universities". Asahi Shimbun. 2006-07-31.

External links

• Providence Trial - English language Providence related website authored by various members internationally
• Apologetics Index - Jung Myung Seok entry
• Freedom of Mind Center

Template:Persondata

• South Korean religious leaders
• Founders of religions
• Self-declared messiahs
• New religious movements
• Religious scandals
• South Korean criminals
• South Korean prisoners and detainees
• Prisoners and detainees of South Korea
• Members of the clergy with criminal convictions
• 1945 births
• Living people