Source: Korean Buddhism at the Crossroads
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, May 6, 2001: Dr. Frank M. Tedesco, a well-known social activist, expert on Korean Buddhism and author of “Korean Buddhism at the Crossroads,” was invited to Malaysia for a series of talks in May, 2001. Dr. Tedesco noted that after the Korean War (1950-1953) the entire country was in ruins and the people were demoralized. The country needed foreign aid and the U.S. poured in money to rebuild South Korea. In the process the US government used Christian missionaries to administer aid because they had been in the country for nearly a hundred years and understood the local customs and language. The missionaries came to be seen as saviors of the Korean people as the local people associated Christianity with development, self-help, advanced Western technology and medicine. During this time the Buddhist monastic community was largely uneducated and fragmented, and there was no strong and organized lay Buddhist leadership. Buddhism began to lose followers to the missionaries who were able to capitalize on these weaknesses. Some Korean Christians have been very zealous, using every opportunity to bring others to their faith. Also a number of attacks on Buddhist temples by extremist Christians have also occurred over the years. In 1900 .5 percent of Koreans were Christians. Today, it is 21%. Christians consider it a success story and hope to repeat it across Asia, with Nepal as the immediate next target.