Chief of the Corruption Investigation Office Kim Jin-wook Apologizes after Buddhists Protest His Teary Hymn at an Official Event Launching the New Year

Kim Jin-wook, chief prosecutor of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, explains the meaning of the logo with his hands during his greeting at an event to introduce the sign of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials with the new corporate identity (CI) last August. Yonhap News

Buddhists protested when news got out that Kim Jin-wook, chief prosecutor of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, sang a hymn during an official event launching the new work year. Kim apologized admitting his action was “inappropriate.”

In an official ceremony to launch the new work year at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials on January 2, Kim Jin-wook introduced the poem, “By Gracious Powers” by the German pastor Bonhoeffer, and sang a hymn based on the poem. While singing the hymn, Kim, a known Christian, was overwhelmed by emotions and cried. When news of this was released by the press, Buddhists criticized the act. Eventually, Kim released a written apology.

In the apology, Kim said, “The words were spoken to encourage the employees of the Corruption Investigation Office to gather our strengths and wisdom to overcome difficulties and to meet the expectation of the people.” He went on to write, “Regardless of the reason, as a public official and the head of an investigative agency, my words and actions, which could be accepted as leaning toward a particular religion, were inappropriate.”

He also said, “I express my sincerest apologies for my words and actions, which caused concern to Buddhists and made the four groups of disciples of Buddhism uncomfortable,” and added, “I will be more careful to prevent such incidents in the future and will maintain an attitude that does not lean in any way politically or religiously.”

The Religion and Peace Committee of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism released a statement in the name of Monk Donim, the chairperson, Thursday and said, “The chief prosecutor of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, more than anyone else, should concentrate his efforts to fulfill his obligation of political and religious neutrality. There can be no excuse for his action, which fully revealed his personal religion in an official event.” They demanded that Kim be responsible for his action as a public official and resign for engaging in an act that neglected the qualities and conscience required of an investigative agency chief.