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Jung Myung Seok
Jung Myung Seok
Born	Jung Myung Seok (1945-02-03)3 February 1945 Geumsan County, South Chungcheong, Japanese Korea
Nationality	Korean
Other names	Joshua Jung, Pastor Joshua
Occupation	Religious leader
Years active	1975-
Known for	Providence
Korean name
Hangul	정명석
Hanja	鄭明析
Revised Romanization	Jeong Myeong-seok
McCune–Reischauer	Chŏng Myŏng-sŏk

Jung Myung-seok (born February 3, 1945) is the founder of an international Christian religious movement Providence. He was formerly known by the names of Joshua Jung, "Joshua Lee" and "Pastor Joshua".

Since founding his first church in Seoul, South Korea in 1980 Jung has developed his organization into a religious movement.

Following accusations against him by South Korean police of rape, fraud and embezzlement, Jung fled the country in 1999 and spent time in Hong Kong and China before being arrested by Chinese police in May 2007. 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. According to Yoshihide Sakurai, a professor of sociology at Hokkaido University, Jung was involved with the Unification Church from 1975 to 1978, and as a result, Jung's teachings closely resemble those of the Unification Church.

Jung was drafted into his first term of service in the Vietnam war. After his first term he returned voluntarily to serve a second term, fulfilling two terms of duty in Vietnam (1966 to 1969).

Trials & Court Decisions

In a trial not widely known to viewers, Providence filed suit against a Korean News Broadcasting company for libel. The court ruled that the broadcasts were in fact biased. The court ordered the following: 1) the media must not use one-sided material provided by the informer and others; 2) the media must inform the organization 48 hours before broadcasting; 3) the media must guarantee 5% of the broadcasting time to so that their rebuttal will also be aired; 4) if these orders are violated, the media must pay damages in the amount of 30 million won for each violation.

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. Providence sued SBS to prevent them from airing the show again. At the end of the trial in 2002, a witness who had testified that there was no sexual exploitation from 1993-4 was found guilty of perjury.

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 dressed in baseball caps and bandanas covering their faces,accused Jung of organised sex crimes against themselves and other women, who required medical treatment.

After nearly 9 years on the run, Jung was 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.

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 a disturbance 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 by Seoul Central District Court to six years imprisonment. In February 2009, the Seoul High Court added four years to the lower court's sentence of six years. Jung's appeal to the Supreme Court of South Korea of his 10 years imprisonment sentence was dismissed in April 2009.

As of 2012, at least 10 women were still being kept for sexual exploitation by church leaders, according to Kim Jin-ho, former director of the cult and a representative of the organization No JMS (JMS 피해대책협의회). Jo Gyeong-suk, former head of the cult's Seoul branch, said that "not a few of those women committed suicide. They become severely depressed and receive psychiatric treatment, suffer various illnesses and social phobias as a result of the stress, and are unable to marry." A press conference produced video evidence, with photos of a topless woman 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 lectures. According to Sakurai, after a series of Bible studies aiming to demonstrate that the Great Tribulation has already begun, the final 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. His analysis says that it is also taught that Eve was 14 years old when she first had sex with Adam.

Sakurai Yoshihide also puts forth that Jung believes he has come to finish the restoration history of the Holy Trinty, asserting that he is the messiah of this time period 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. Toyoshige Aizawa says the main differences are that it identifies Jung as the Messiah (rather than Sun Myung Moon) and it teaches that original sin, originating in Eve's intercourse with Satan, can be defeated by loving the Lord. He puts forth that this could refer to Jung himself since his teaching refer to him as the person the Lord is working through.

Jung's teachings are summed up in the titles of his sermons, and on Dec 8, 2008 he preached a message declaring that no one can be, "Lord," other than God or Jesus. He preaches that the Lord always works through people. He also says in many sermons that no one can claim to be God or the re-incarnation of Jesus and that anyone who does is a heretic.

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,

See also

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

References

1. LEXILOGOS. "Korean Conversion: Hangeul > Latin Alphabet". Retrieved 2013-11-10.
2. Ushuaia.pl. "Online transliteration/transcription tool". Retrieved 2013-11-10.
3. Cubby, Ben (March 10, 2007). "Claims sect using social groups to recruit members". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
4. ^ "Asian Cult Leader Arrested". The Australian  – via LexisNexis (subscription required) . 2007-05-15. Retrieved 2013-11-02. Jung, wanted by Korean police for rape, fraud, and embezzlement, escaped South Korea in 1999 and was later placed on the Interpol wanted list. He next surfaced in Hong Kong in 2003, where he was charged with being an illegal immigrant, granted bail and fled again — apparently to China. He was caught by police in Anshan, in Laioning, the Chinese province that borders North Korea.
5. ^ "Alleged South Korean Rape Cult Leader Arrested in China". Fox News. 2007-05-16. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
6. ^ "Cult head jailed for sex crimes". AFP. 2009-02-10. Archived from the original on 2010-11-15. Retrieved 2013-10-29.
7. "Yoshihide Sakurai — Religious Studies in Japan". Japanese Association for Religious Studies. 2011. Retrieved 2013-11-02.
8. Sakurai, Yoshihide (2007-05-18). 日本のカルト問題 : 「摂理」を事例に. 日本近代学会大会 (in Japanese). 1975-77 年の間に統一教（統一教会）に関わった。そのために、摂理の教義は統一教会の教義とかなり似通ったものになっている。(From 1975 to 1978 he was involved with the Unification Church. For this reason, Providence's teachings resemble the Unification Church quite closely.) {{cite conference}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
9. Information Network on Christian Heresy. "///현대종교///" (in Korean). Retrieved 2013-11-04. 정명석은 1975년도에 측근 신도들에게 통일교 창시자 문선명의 사명은 끝났고 1978년부터 자신의 사명이 시작됐다고 공언하기도 했다.
10. ^ Jung, Myung-Seok. ""Sermon by Jung Myung Seok"". Providence. Cite error: The named reference "Sermons by Jung Myung Seok" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
11. "Brief History of Founding of Providence Church". Providence Church.
12. Moon Il Seok. "월간지 記者 추적 "정명석 사건 재심필요(Retrial needed for Jung Myung Seok)". Break News. 차 기자는 세 번째로 a방송의 편파 보도 결과가 그 당시 법적으로 오류로 판명됐음을 상기 시켰다. 그는 "편파적인 보도에 대해 법원은 결국 화해권고결정을 내렸다. 주 내용으로는 '문제 제기자' 등의 일방적인 제보 자료를 방송에 써서는 안 되며 방송 48시간 전 고지할 것과 방송분의 5%를 보장하여 반론 보도를 할 수 있도록 하라는 것이었다. 또한 이를 어길 시에는 건당 3000만원을 배상하라'는 결정이었다. 편파방송의 오류를 법적으로 인정한 이 결정은 시청자들에게 널리 알려지지 않았고 이미 여론에 의해 범죄자로 낙인찍힌 정 총재는 계속하여 언론의 도마질을 당하기 시작했다."고 적시했다. (The third point Cha brings up is the outcome of A Media's biased report, which was found to be legally wrongful at that time. He indicated, "As to their biased report, the court eventually issued a decision of the advice of peaceful settlement. The court ordered the following: 1) the media must not use one-sided material provided by the informer and others; 2) the media must inform the organization 48 hours before broadcasting; 3) the media must guarantee 5% of the broadcasting time to so that their rebuttal will also be aired; 4) if these orders are violated, the media must pay damages in the amount of 30 million won for each violation. The court decision acknowledging the media's errors and biased reporting was not made widely known to viewers, while at the same time President Jung—who was already branded a criminal by public opinion—continued to be "cut to pieces at the chopping block of the press." ) {{cite web}}: line feed character in |quote= at position 459 (help)
13. "JMS(기독교복음선교회) 정명석 총재는". MJ News.
14. "2,000 Japanese join cult led by suspected sex offender on the run from Interpol". Asahi Shimbun. July 29, 2006. "He stayed at his aides' homes in Osaka and Chiba prefectures, where he summoned up to 10 female followers almost every day and indecently assaulted them under the pretext of 'health checks,' they said. Some Japanese female followers were instructed to go overseas for a rendezvous with Jung, they said. The aides told them to never mention the meetings with Jung, warning they would go to hell if they revealed the secret."
15. "China extradites SKorea cult leader". Radio Australia. 2008-02-21. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
16. "Ask the Police". Korean National Police Agency. 2005-07-04. Archived from the original on 2007-09-01. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
17. Sakurai, Yoshihide (2006). "「摂理」は大学のキャンパスにいる カルトの被害をどう食い止めるか". 中央公論. 121 (10): 142–149. 2002 年ソウル地方法院では、SBS 放送禁止仮処分訴訟において、1993-4 年にかけて鄭との集団性交渉はなかったと証言した証人を偽証罪により懲役 1 年に課した。 (In 2002, the Seoul District Court, in the matter of the SBS broadcast ban injunction, ruled that a witness who had testified that there was no mass sexual relations from 1993-4 had committed perjury, and sentenced him to 1 year in prison.) {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
18. "Ask the Police". Korean National Police Agency. 2003-09-21. Archived from the original on 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
19. "Accused rapist cult leader faces extradition to Korea". News Limited. 2008-01-02. Archived from the original on 2008-01-15. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
20. ""JMS 정명석 성폭행 계속...정부 뭐하나" 울분" (in Korean). CNB News. 2006-04-18. Retrieved 2007-01-20. 피해자들은 이 날 오후 4시 안국동 느키나무까페에서 'JMS 비리 폭로 및 수사 촉구를 위한 기자회견'을 열고 최근 언론을 통해 알려진 정명석의 성폭행 당시 상황 등을 낱낱이 공개했다. (Victims held a press conference at 4PM today in the Nukinamu Cafe in Anguk Dong demanding the exposure and investigation into the JMS corruption case and more fully clarifying events surrounding the Jung Myung Seok sexual assaults that had recently been reported in the media.) {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
21. "China extradites chief of alleged S. Korean rapist cult". AFP, The China Post. 2008-02-21. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
22. ^ "South Korean religious sect leader extradited from China to face rape charges". International Herald Tribune, AP. 2008-02-20. Archived from the original on 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
23. "Cult boss extradited to face sex raps". JoongAng Ilbo. 2008-02-21. Archived from the original on 2011-07-18. Retrieved 2013-11-04. Jung was taken directly to the Seoul Central Public Prosecutors' Office from the airport. Prosecutors began questioning Jung after his arrival regarding nine complaints filed against him on charges that include embezzlement and sexual assault.
24. "Religious sect leader formally arrested on rape charges". Yonhap. 2008-02-23. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
25. "JMS 정명석씨, 신도 성폭행 6천만원 위자료 확정" (in Korean). Donganuri News. 2008-01-11. Archived from the original on 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2008-01-27. JMS 정명석 총재에게 성추행ㆍ성폭행 당한 여성신도 2명이 위자료를 받게 됐다. (Two female followers received compensation for sexual assault and rape by Leader Jung Myung Soek.) {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
26. "언론계에 'JMS 공포'" (in Korean). Chosun Ilbo. 2008-01-17. 17일 언론계에 따르면 JMS 신도 40여명은 지난 14일 서울 광화문 동아일보 사옥 13층 편집국에 난입, "정명석 총재 관련 기사를 내리라"고 강요하며 장시간 난동을 부렸다. (The press reported on the 17th that on the 14th, 40 followers of JMS forced their way into the editorial department on the 13th floor of the Dong-a Ilbo Building in Gwanghwamun Seoul, demanded the paper recall articles about Jung Myung-seok, and created a general disturbance for several hours.) {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
27. "Sect leader imprisoned". Dubai, UAE: 7 Days  – via HighBeam (subscription required) . 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2013-10-31. A South Korean court yesterday sentenced Jung Myung-seok, the leader of a fringe religious sect, to six years in jail for raping female followers, a court official said.... Former members have told the Seoul court that young and attractive women were presented to Jung as 'gifts' and he forced them into sex as a part of a purification ritual. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
28. "정명석 JMS총재 징역 6년 선고" (in Korean). Chosun Ilbo. 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2013-10-29. 서울중앙지법 형사26부(재판장 배기열)는 12일 여자 신도들을 성폭행한 혐의로 구속기소된 JMS(기독교복음선교회) 총재 정명석(63)씨에게 징역 6년을 선고했다. (The Seoul Central District Court #26 Criminal Division (Justice Bae Ki-yeol) delivered a prison sentence of six years to JMS President Jung Myung-seok, 63, who had been arrested and charged with raping 12 female followers.) {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
29. "JMS 정명석 징역 10년 확정" (in Korean). Yonhap. 2009-04-23. Retrieved 2013-10-29. 여신도들을 성폭행한 혐의(강간) 등으로 구속기소된 국제크리스천연합(JMS) 총재 정명석(64)씨에게 징역 10년을 선고한 원심을 확정했다. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
30. "JMS 정명석, 탈퇴자에 대한 테러 지시" (in Korean). Nocut News. 2012-03-28. 성범죄 피해자이기도 했던 한 탈퇴자는 "성상납 대기조 '상록수' 회원이 1천여 명에 이르며, 옥중에서도 미성년자를 포함한 여신도들을 관리하고 있다"고 폭로했다. . . . JMS 전 사무국장 출신의 JMS 피해대책협의회 김진호 대표는 "JMS는 현재 여성지도자 10여 명이 상록수를 관리하고 있다"며, 이들을 정명석의 성범죄를 도운 공범으로 검찰에 고발하겠다"고 밝혔다. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
31. Jeong, Jae-won. "'나체 동영상' 파문으로 다시 주목받는 JMS" (in Korean). NewsNJoy. 논란이 된 동영상에 대해서는 "5년 이상 지난 과거의 영상이며, 성상납의 증거가 될 수 없다"고 반박했다. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
32. Sakurai, Yoshihide. "Cult Problems on Campus : Why were students involved in the “Setsuri” (Providence) cult group?" Journal of Higher Education and Lifelong Learning 15 (2007)
33. Sakurai, Yoshihide (2007). カルト問題と格差社会との関連. 宗教と現代がわかる本 (in Japanese). pp. 140–143. 人間の始祖、アダムとイブは堕天使ルシファーにより誘惑され、成長以前に不義の性交を行い（元摂理信者のノートによれば、禁断の木の実を食べたイブは当時 14 歳であった！）(The first humans, Adam and Eve engaged in underage intercourse -- according to Providence believers, Eve was 14 when she partake of the forbidden fruit!) {{cite conference}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
34. "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.
35. "Cult Leader Extradited to Korea". The Korea Times. 2008-02-21. Archived from the original on 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
36. ^ "'Love' cult snares student". Japan Times. 2002-10-27. "The church's doctrine is composed of the so-called '30 precepts,' although it's pretty clear that they're derived from the Unification Church," explains Toyoshige Aizawa, a Christian minister engaged in weaning young people away from cults. "Jong has twisted the biblical story of Adam and Eve to deal with sex, saying, 'To atone for Adam and Eve's original sin, which was visited upon all mankind, it's necessary to engage in intercourse with the Lord.' In this case, he means himself, since he claims to be a reincarnation of Jesus."
37. "South Korean fugitive cult leader Jung extradited back to Seoul". Associated Press Television News. 2008-02-20. Retrieved 2008-02-29.
38. Sakurai, Yoshihide (2007). カルト問題と格差社会との関連. 宗教と現代がわかる本 (in Japanese). pp. 140–143. {{cite conference}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
39. Jung Myung-seok. "Sun Msg: Only God And Jesus Can Be The Lord". Providence.
40. Jung, Myung-Seok. "Sun Msg: The Messiah Who Is Waited For Comes Through The Body". Providence.
41. Jung, Myung-Seok. "Jesus, the One and Only Son". Providence. "Jesus works through the pastors, disciples, and prophets but those people are not Jesus, I taught you. If you center on people more than Jesus, you are idol worshipping and idolizing people."
42. ({cite web|quote=”“Besides the Holy Father, the Holy Son, and the Holy Spirit, none of the spirits that were born on earth with a body can enter the position of the Trinity, no matter who it may be.”|url= http://gospelofprovidence.com/2012/05/wed-msg-recognize-and-realize-that-the-holy-sons-original-entity-has-come-again/%7Cpublisher=Providence%7Clast=Jung, Myung-Seok)}
43. "Another problem cult". Asahi Shimbun. 2006-08-19. The gimmicks the sect uses to increase its membership are nothing new. At university campuses, the sect's recruiters first approach students under the guise of a sports or cultural circle. After building close personal relationships with these students, the members reveal the religious nature of their group and start indoctrinating them. The favorite targets are serious-minded young people who feel alienated from their families and schools and wish to change their lives.

External links

• Providence Trial - English language Providence related website authored by various members internationally
• Gospel of Providence - English summaries of Jung Myung Seok's sermons posted each week
• Apologetics Index - Jung Myung Seok entry
• Freedom of Mind Center

Template:Persondata

• Articles to be merged from December 2013
• 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