Breaking Venerable Myeongjin, Former Head Abbot of Bongeunsa Temple, Passes Away in Freediving Accident in Jeju

Venerable Myeongjin, former head abbot of Bongeunsa Temple, passed away in a maritime accident in Jeju on the 22nd. He was 76 years old and had spent 52 years in monastic life.

According to the Coast Guard and fire authorities, Venerable Myeongjin was rescued floating on the water near Hayepo Port in Haeye-dong, Seogwipo City, Jeju at approximately 9:38 a.m. on that day and was transferred to a hospital, but was pronounced dead at approximately 10:28 a.m. Based on the equipment he was wearing at the time of rescue, the Coast Guard believes the venerable monk met with an accident during freediving practice and is investigating the exact circumstances. His remains have been placed at Seogwipo Medical Center.

Born in Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province in 1950, Venerable Myeongjin left secular life for Haeinsa Temple's Baeknyeon Hermitage in 1969 and received his novice precepts under Venerable Tanseong as his preceptor in 1974. He took the lead in the Jogye Order's institutional reform in 1994, served as the 11th Central Council member of the Jogye Order and as vice-chairman of the Central Council (1998–2002), and served as head abbot of Bongeunsa Temple in Gangnam-gu, Seoul from 2006 to 2010.

During his tenure as head abbot of Bongeunsa Temple, he publicly criticized the Lee Myung-bak administration and the executive leadership of the Jogye Order's General Affairs Bureau, during which he was subjected to illegal surveillance by the National Intelligence Service. In 2017, he received a disciplinary measure of monastic status revocation for criticizing the General Affairs Bureau, but he won successive victories in first and second instance lawsuits seeking to invalidate the disciplinary measure. Early this year, both sides agreed not to appeal to the Supreme Court, and his monastic status was restored.

The Jogye Order, Beopjusa Temple as the teaching district headquarters, and Namseonsa Temple in Jeju, where the venerable monk had been residing, are discussing funeral procedures.