Korea-Japan Buddhist Exchange Conference Held in Korea After 4 Years... "Will Lead Harmony Between the Two Countries"

The Buddhist communities of Korea and Japan have agreed through a 'Joint Statement' to lead the promotion of friendship and harmony between the peoples of the two countries.

On the 13th, according to the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, a 'Joint Statement' with this content was announced at the 40th Korea-Japan Buddhist Exchange Conference.

Jinwoo Sunim, Chief Executive of the Jogye Order
[Photo by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism]

In the statement, both sides declared, "We reaffirm that the friendly exchanges between Korean and Japanese Buddhists promote friendship among the peoples of the two countries, lead to harmony, and furthermore serve as a foundation for peace in Asia and the world."

Additionally, they pledged to strive to widely spread the Dharma and to dedicate themselves to realizing world peace and the Buddha Land (Bulgukjeongto).

The Korea-Japan Buddhist Exchange Conference, which began in 1977, marked its 40th anniversary this year. Each year, representatives from the Buddhist orders of Korea and Japan take turns visiting each other's countries to continue the exchange. It was temporarily suspended in 2019 due to COVID-19 but was held domestically again this year after four years.

Jinwoo Sunim, the head of the Korea-Japan Buddhist Cultural Exchange Council and the Chief Executive of the Jogye Order, said at the conference Dharma assembly held on the 13th at Geumsansa Temple in Gimje, Jeonbuk, "The history that the Buddhists of Korea and Japan have built so far must become even stronger and move toward the future. To do so, we must actively seek practical solutions for enhancing friendship between the two countries and peaceful coexistence of humanity by further expanding the human and cultural exchanges that have been achieved so far."

The conference, which opened on the 12th in Jeonju under the theme "Looking Back on 40 Years of Korea-Japan Buddhist Exchange," will be held until the 14th throughout the Jeonbuk region.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.