Ven. Seongho, who last week exposed an all-night gambling and drinking party among his fellow monks, made the new allegations targeted, this time, at Most Ven. Jaseung, president of the Jogye Order.

The whistle-blower said on a radio show that the incumbent president and Ven. Myungjin, another senior monk, visited a “room salon” and paid for sexual services in 2001. Room salons are drinking establishments that often facilitate prostitution. He also claimed that many high-ranking monks have a secret wife on their family register. Ven. Seongho warned that further damaging secrets would be divulged.

Later on Tuesday, the Buddhist sect made its own accusations against Ven. Seongho. In a statement, the Jogye Order claimed that the monk had attempted to rape a Buddhist nun in 2004 and bought a luxury car using temple funds. The group added that it filed a libel complaint against Ven. Seongho with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ office.

Ven. Jeongnyum, head of the department of regulation at Jogye Order, also denied the allegation that the Most Ven. Jaseung solicited prostitution, saying that he did go to the room salon in Gangnam in Seoul but left the venue because he thought it was inappropriate.

Concerning the controversial video footage showing monks gambling and drinking, Ven. Jeongnyum said the gambling was merely a “pastime,” just like other games played by the elderly to prevent dementia.

Meanwhile, rumors are rife that Ven. Myungjin, once loyal to the Most Ven. Jaseung but now regarded as an opponent, ordered Ven. Seongho to reveal the existence of the video footage. Ven. Myungjin, former abbot of Bongeun Temple in Samseong-dong, Seoul, had conflict with the Most Ven. Jaseung some years ago after he tried to put the temple under Jogye’s direct control. In an interview with a local newspaper, however, Ven. Myungjin denied that he had any involvement in the release of the footage.

A group of Buddhists are urging both the Jogye Order and Ven. Seongho to stop attacking each other.

“We, as Buddhists, feel strongly responsible for this incident. However, Chung Han-young (Ven. Seongho) should stop tearing the Jogye Order apart by making coarse remarks,” said Buddha Net, an online community of Buddhists in Korea.

The scandal led to the resignation of six senior leaders of the Jogye Order last week, followed by an official apology along with a 100-day meditation period for repentance from Ven. Jaseung.

Jogye Order is the largest sect of Korean Buddhism, with 10 million followers. Its executive body oversees an annual budget of 30 billion won ($25 million).

By Cho Chung-un and Yoon Min-shik
(christory@heraldcorp.com)