Global Pastors Urge South Korea to Guarantee Religious Freedom, Raise Concerns Over Church Leader’s Detention

MONROVIA – Pastors from five countries have called on the Government of South Korea to strengthen constitutional guarantees for religious freedom and uphold the separation of religion and state, raising concerns over the detention of Shincheonji Church of Jesus Chairman Lee Man-hee and broader questions about the treatment of religious groups.

The appeal was made during the Joint Assembly of Pastors from Five Countries, which brought together religious leaders from the United States, Liberia, Sri Lanka, Brazil and India under the theme, “Human Rights, Religious Freedom and the Essence of Faith.”
The assembly focused on challenges facing Christianity, the protection of fundamental rights and the future of the church, with participants urging governments to ensure that religious communities can practice their faith without persecution or discrimination.

The pastors also expressed concern over investigations and government measures involving Shincheonji Church of Jesus and its chairman, Lee Man-hee, as well as ongoing debates in South Korea over legislation concerning the dissolution of religious organizations.
“This is not an issue concerning any particular denomination or religion alone. It is an issue that concerns all of us: what kind of relationship should exist between the state and religion, and how can we protect the religious freedom and human rights that every faith community rightfully deserves?” the pastors said.

They emphasized that the church has historically served as a refuge for people facing oppression, arguing that religious leaders have a responsibility to speak out when freedom of conscience and faith are threatened.
“Therefore, in the face of realities where religious freedom and the essence of faith are threatened, we pastors must not remain silent. We must raise our voices for truth and justice,” they said, adding that putting freedom, peace and justice into practice is a sacred responsibility rooted in the teachings of Jesus.

Pastors Raise Concerns Over Lee Man-hee’s Detention

The assembly featured six speakers who addressed religious freedom, due process and the relationship between government authority and faith communities.

Pastor Marc Thompson of Mattituck Unity Baptist Church in the Bronx, New York, delivered the first keynote address, citing Amos 5:24: “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.”
Thompson said justice should not be applied selectively but should guide the actions of churches, governments and communities worldwide.
He expressed concern over Lee Man-hee’s detention and questioned whether justice was being fairly applied in his case.
“A real church would stand up, offer its support, and say, ‘Enough is enough. Let Chairman Lee go,’” Thompson said.
He called on Christians across New York, Brazil, Africa, India and other regions to support religious freedom and advocate for the fair treatment of religious leaders, regardless of their beliefs or denominational affiliations.
Pastor Lucilla Richards-Seaton of Power, Prayer and Praise Ministries also expressed concern over Lee’s detention, saying his testimony had strengthened her commitment to defending religious freedom.

“As God’s people, we have to fight for our religious beliefs, as well as the beliefs of others, including those outside the United States and in other countries,” Richards-Seaton said.
“We have to begin to protect our rights and the rights of others,” she added, calling for greater solidarity among Christians worldwide.
Pastor Fabricio Leonardo Vasconcelos of the Apostolic Cathedral of the Miracles of Jesus Christ urged governments to respect religious independence and ensure that legal procedures are not used to oppress religious institutions.
He described South Korea as a respected democratic republic but expressed concern over what he characterized as persecution of the Unification Church and Shincheonji Church.

Vasconcelos referenced the controversy surrounding Shincheonji during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, arguing that public backlash and calls for the church’s closure demonstrated the dangers of allowing public opinion to supersede judicial processes.
He also cited the South Korean Supreme Court’s decision upholding Lee’s acquittal on charges related to violations of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act during the pandemic.
Vasconcelos further questioned Lee’s pretrial detention, arguing that the allegations against the church leader should be adjudicated through due process.

Pastor Subhash Chandra Yadav of Assembly Builders Church similarly raised concerns over Lee’s detention, describing the case as one that touches on religious freedom, due process and human dignity.
“Today, I speak with a heavy heart about a 95-year-old religious leader in the Republic of Korea who is being held in detention while awaiting trial, without having received a final guilty verdict,” Yadav said.
He said the case raises broader questions about the protection of religious rights and the treatment of religious leaders facing legal proceedings.

Pastor Krishani Asangika Perera of Yeshuwa’s Battle Army, representing Sri Lanka, also called for global solidarity in protecting religious freedom, warning against excessive government involvement in matters of faith.
Perera said the weakening of religious freedom under state authority could have serious consequences for faith communities.
She also expressed solidarity with Lee, describing his work through Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) as a contribution to global peace and interfaith harmony.

Pastor Joe D. Kerkulah of God Fellowship International Ministries in Liberia called for a careful balance between law enforcement and religious freedom, particularly when dealing with elderly religious leaders.
“When the enforcement of the law and religious freedom come into conflict, an even more careful and balanced judgment is required,” Kerkulah said.

He expressed concern about the potential humanitarian consequences of prolonged detention for an elderly person and urged authorities to consider whether continued detention was necessary.
Kerkulah said alternatives such as bail or trial without detention should be considered where concerns about flight risk or evidence tampering have not been sufficiently established.
“Nor should anyone face undue pressure or discrimination from the state simply because of their religious beliefs,” he said.
He urged religious leaders to transcend denominational, doctrinal, national and cultural differences in defending human dignity and freedom of religion.

Global Assemblies Build Momentum

The joint assembly also reviewed activities following the First World Pastors’ Joint Assembly, held on August 13, 2026, with events and engagements subsequently organized in the United States, Brazil, India, Sri Lanka and Liberia.
A presentation highlighted the participation of pastors and religious leaders in different countries, including gatherings in New York and Chicago, where participants called for unity across denominational and cultural boundaries.

In New York, approximately 60 people attended in person, including 12 religious leaders representing different Christian denominations. The leaders signed a joint statement calling for the protection of religious freedom and human rights.
One pastor emphasized the importance of solidarity, saying, “If even one or two people are not free, then none of us are truly free.”
In Chicago, 111 people participated in the assembly, with discussions focusing on unity among Christians regardless of race or denomination.

In Brazil, pastors who participated both online and in person emphasized that religious freedom is a fundamental right, not a privilege reserved for selected individuals. Participants also pledged to support faith communities facing challenges in other countries.
The global pastors said the Joint Assembly of Pastors from Five Countries would continue through subsequent gatherings, including a second, third and fourth assembly, with the aim of expanding participation and strengthening international cooperation in promoting religious freedom, human rights and peace