[Reporter’s Notebook] Monk with Children Repents... Hoping It’s Not Just a ‘Tactical Retreat’

"It is true that I had a second child after ordination in the Jogye Order."

On the 17th, the monk Doyeon, who was suspected of having a second child with his ex-wife after ordination, admitted to the related allegations. Through his social media (SNS), he stated, "I did not admit to having a child in violation of the precepts," and added, "Having a child as a Jogye Order monk was my first mistake, and by not admitting it and making false statements, I committed another mistake."

Although he admitted his wrongdoing about a month after the allegations were raised, the aftertaste remains unpleasant. Immediately after the allegations surfaced, Doyeon refused a DNA test proposed during the investigation by the Defense Department, citing that "the ex-wife is not consenting." As the controversy grew, on the 7th of last month, he announced, "I will take some time to reflect and devote myself to practice and study," and subsequently submitted a request for reinstatement and removal from the Jogye Order, his affiliated sect. It seemed to be settled, but on the 28th of last month, he posted on SNS, "(When the mind is troubled) a tactical retreat is necessary," raising suspicions that he was trying to evade the situation as a last resort.

This is not to say that one must be poor or unmarried unconditionally. If one wishes to continue married life while practicing meditation, they could belong to the Taego Order. There is no reason to deceive Buddhists and the public by continuing a married life while belonging to the Jogye Order, the largest Buddhist sect in Korea.

The bigger problem is his attitude. As a monk, he must have been aware of his misconduct, but instead of repentance, he focused on public activities. He attempted to publish an autobiography and was active on SNS. He denied the revealed allegations, and when he could no longer avoid them, he said he would take time for self-reflection and practice. However, as soon as he left the monkhood, he started offering paid meditation classes. On the 1st, Doyeon, calling himself a Dharma teacher, posted on his blog an announcement titled ‘Doyeon’s Mindfulness Meditation Class Opening,’ recruiting paid meditation students. The tuition fee ranged from 150,000 to 250,000 KRW per month.

This incident has further intensified the public’s distrust toward religious figures. A one-month period of self-reflection is too short for someone responsible for such a situation. Moreover, it is absurd that someone who failed to guard their mind and was pushed back into the secular world uses meditation, a tool for training the mind, as a means of livelihood. We hope that his admission of guilt and public repentance are not just a ‘tactical retreat’ for making money afterward.

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