Monk Jeongnyeom Supports Monk Gyun, Withdraws from Jogye Order Chief Monk Race

The race for the chief administrative monk of South Korea's Jogye Order of Buddhism has been significantly reshaped with the withdrawal of candidate Monk Jeongnyeom. Jeongnyeom, former head of Woljeongsa Temple, announced on May 24 that he is stepping down from the race and endorsing Monk Gyun, former head of Seonunsa Temple. This move consolidates the field into a direct contest between Gyun and the incumbent chief administrative monk, Jinwoo, who is seeking re-election.

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I feel a desperate concern that the sluggish discussions surrounding candidate unification could dilute the reform agenda. I have made the decision to withdraw in a spirit of great compassion to break this deadlock and create new momentum.

Jeongnyeom explained his decision in a statement, expressing a "desperate concern" that prolonged negotiations over candidate unification could weaken the urgency for monastic reform. He stated his withdrawal was a "great-hearted decision to break this deadlock and create new momentum." While stepping down, Jeongnyeom explicitly declared his support for Gyun, who is running under the first ticket number. He also reflected on his campaign experience, noting a "lack of system and distortion" within the Jogye Order's decision-making processes and expressing a hope for a change in leadership to innovate the monastic system for the AI era.

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What I felt while experiencing the election is the inadequacy and distortion of the monastic system. I sincerely hope that by achieving a change in power, the old monastic system will be reformed and new Buddhist development will be created in the age of artificial intelligence.

Jeongnyeom, who served as the head of Woljeongsa Temple, the main temple of the Jogye Order's 4th district, for 22 years since 2004, had initially announced his candidacy on May 6. At the time, he voiced concerns about the "closed-door nature of the Jogye Order's decision-making and the opacity of its finances," which he believed were eroding public trust.

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The closed-door nature of the Jogye Order's decision-making and the opacity of its finances are eroding trust in the order.

The election, scheduled for June 3, will now feature a head-to-head competition. Monk Gyun, who has led Seonunsa Temple in Gochang since 2015, declared his candidacy on May 10 with a platform focused on "realizing a decentralized district-based autonomous system and innovating the monastic system." He faces Monk Jinwoo, who took office as chief administrative monk in September 2022 and is campaigning on the promise of continuing the "stability and change" achieved by the order under his leadership. The chief administrative monk serves a four-year term and is elected indirectly by an electoral college of 321 delegates.

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Realizing a decentralized district-based autonomous system and innovating the monastic system.