 Introduction
The United Religions Initiative of Korea
(URI Korea) is a Cooperation Circle (CC) of URI global organization
and a growing interreligious community in Korea dedicated to
realize the spirit of URI Charter, its purpose is to promote
enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated
violence and to create culture of peace, justice and healing
for the Earth and all living beings. The URI Korea is a Nonprofit
Nongovernmental Organization.
 The
URI is a religious UN. Working on all continents and across
continents, people from different religions, spiritual expressions
and indigenous traditions have created unprecedented levels
of enduring global cooperation. Today people's hopes are rising
with visions of a better world. It is a world where the values
and teachings of the great wisdom traditions guide people's
service, where people respect one another's beliefs, and where
the resourcefulness and passion of ordinary people working
together bring healing and a more hopeful future to the Earth
community.
The URI, in time, aspires to have the visibility of the UN.
Since June 1996 thousands of people have shared their visions
and worked together to create the URI and eventually realized
their commitment June 2000 with signing its Charter. It is
a new kind of organization for global good rooted in shared
spiritual values. People from many different cultures and
perspectives have worked to create an organization that is
inclusive, non-hierarchical and de-centralized; one that enhances
cooperation, autonomy and individual opportunity.
This co-creative work offered by people of many cultures has
produced a unique organization composed of self-organizing
groups which operate locally and are connected globally.
URI Korea has been established at Seoul Campus of Dongguk
University, May 15, 1999, led by Ven. Jinwol (Dr. Young Ho
Lee) who has participated in and worked for the URI since
1996 when he was in San Francisco Bay Area for his doctoral
works at UC Berkeley. URI Korea is a founding CC of URI.
It is a nonprofit interfaith organization. According to the
related law of the Republic of Korea, it has been
registered at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, July 2000.
URI Korea has participated in the "72 Hours," a
Peace Project for New Millenium led by URI global office and
cooperated around world from December 31, 1999, to January
2, 2000. It was held at Imjingak near the DMZ, Jogyesa Buddhist
temple, Myeongdong Cathedral, Cheondogyo Suunhoegwan in Seoul.
Since 2000 URI Korea has held weekly workshops for interreligious
dialogue and meditation practice, and in 2001, bimonthly public
forums on the subject of "Interfaith Dialogue in the
Light of the History of Civilization." URI Korea has
published Samso a bimonthly newsletter and opened a website
(www.uri-korea.org).
URI Korea has consisted of the major religions in Korea,
such as Buddhism, Christianity (including Catholic and Protestant),
Confucianism, Cheondogyo, Won Buddhism and national indigenous
traditions.
It has branches in major cities of provinces nationwide, such
as Busan/Gyeongnam, Gyeongju/Gyeongbuk, Chuncheon/ Gangwon,
Jeonju/Jeonbuk, Gwangju/Jeonnam, Daejeon/Chungnam, Cheongju/
Chungbuk.
Advisers and leadership of URI Korea consisted of eminent religious
leaders and scholars nationwide as follows.
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 Senior
Advisers:
Dr. Changgyu Choe (President of Seonggyungwan), Mr. Yangwon
Han (President of Korean National Indigenous Traditions Association),
Ven. Eungcheol Jang (President of Won Buddhism), Dr. Wollyong
Kang (President of Peace Forum), Mr. Cheol Kim (President
of Cheondogyo), Bishop Jeongil Pak (Chairman of Korean Bishops
Conference), Ven. Jeongdae Seo (President of Korean Buddhist
Orders Association).
Practical Advisers:
Dr. Dr. Palgeun Jeon (Co-President of ACRP), Mr. Dongwan Kim
(Secretary General of KNCC), Fr. Jongsu Kim (Secretary General
of the CCK), Dr. Mongeun Kim (Former President of KCRP), Ven.
Hyeonseong Pak (President of Youth Education Group Association),
Mr. Namsu Pak (Former Chairman of Cheondogyo Assembly), Mr.
Ugyun Pak (Vice President of KNITA), Mr. Byeongdeok Yu (Vice
President of
Seonggyungwan).
Academic
Advisers:
Prof. Jangtae Geum (Seoul N. U.), Prof. Ungil Im (Cheondogyo
S.), Prof. Byeongjo Jeong (Dongguk U.), Prof. Heesung Keel (Sogang
U.), Prof. Gyeongjae Kim (Hansin U.), Prof. Palgon Kim (Wongwang
U.), Prof. Seunghye Kim (Sogang U.), Okhi Shin (Ehwa Women's
U.), Prof. Iheum Yun (Seoul N. U.).
President:
Ven. Jinwol Lee (Dongguk U., URI Interim Global Council Member)
Executive Committee:
Ven. Jinwol Lee (President), Rev. Jin Kim (Christian Academy,
Secretary General), Rev. Gwangdeok An (Director of Right Ministers
Association), Fr. Bakho (Wiroeui Saemteo), Prof. Hyeyeong
Choe (Catholic U.), Mr. Hwan Jeong (CPA), Mr. Jaehun Jeong
(CPA), Mr. Seonwon Ju (Director of Cheondogyo Education),
Ven. Jinmyeong (BBS), Rev. Dongin Kim (Won Buddhism), Rev.
Eungyeong Kim (Won Buddhism), Fr. Gwangjun Kim (Director of
Korean Episcopal Chuch), Prof. Seonggi Kim (Seongyungwan U.),
Ms. Sunok Kim (Director of Korean Bahai Association), Ms.
Seonyeong Lee (Cheondogyo), Dr. Sehyeon Lee (Seonggyungwan
U.) Ven. Beophyeon Min (Director of KBOA), Rev. Suhyeon Pak
(Director of WPA), Mr.Deokchang Yang (Director of CCK),
URI Korea
welcomes everyone who makes commitment to realize the spirit
of the URI Charter, peace and justice in Korea and the world.
For more Information, please contact the URI Korea with your
ideas, your hopes and dreams, and your inquiries so that you
and/or your group might consider being part of the URI Korea.
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URI Korea
Address) 301 Uwon Villa 193-120 Jangchung-dong 2ga, Jung-gu,
Seoul 100-856 KOREA
Phone) 82-2-2642-0363
FAX) 82-2-2264-8261
Website: www.uri-korea.org
E-mail: 3so@uri-korea.org |
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