[비즈한국] Jongjeong Myosim, head of the Beopseong Order, who gained political attention for predicting the election of former President Park Geun-hye, has spoken out again ahead of the 21st presidential election. In an interview with BizHankook on May 21, Myosim stated, "Presidential candidates have scrambled to seek me out, but this time I haven't met a single one," and warned, "South Korea is currently in a dangerous situation. It is a crisis where another period of chaos could follow."
Jongjeong Myosim is a figure who has delivered messages at various turning points in South Korean politics over the past 20 years. He predicted both the election and downfall of former President Park Geun-hye in 2002, and in 2017, he wrote in his book that a figure like Admiral Yi Sun-sin, possessing the energy of fire, would lead the nation to rise again. When this passage recently gained attention on social media, he distanced himself from current candidates, stating, "That prediction was not referring to the current presidential candidates." He added, "Whoever is elected will face another impeachment. There are no righteous political leaders. Even greater chaos may come to South Korea in the future. We must also keep the possibility of war in mind." He asserted that none of the current presidential candidates are "heroes."
Reflecting on the state of martial law, Jongjeong Myosim said, "Some people say that all the presidents whose elections I predicted ended up in prison or died. Becoming president is not the end. One must maintain their position, and they failed to do so."
Jongjeong Myosim warned, "Every time a president is impeached, the economic impact is immense. The problem is that such impeachments could become a habit in the future. It is a national misfortune." He pointed out, "The cycle of political revenge must stop."
Jongjeong Myosim predicted that South Korea would face a third impeachment and war. Declaring that South Korea is currently "on the verge of collapse," he stated firmly, "South Korea is doomed." He continued, "South Korea, with the world's 10th-largest economy, is in danger of falling to 40th. The biggest problem is that the country has been without a leader for half a year. Had it not been for martial law, South Korea might have become a global hub by now. While our culture is currently leading globally thanks to the popularity of K-Culture, our economy, politics, and culture could all collapse in an instant. This is because there is continuous internal division and the potential for external invasion. Most people who have money are trying to leave the country now."
Jongjeong Myosim also expressed concern about the international situation. "There is a possibility that North Korea, China, and Russia could invade South Korea together. Yet, no one is worried about this, nor is anyone trying to prevent it. It is also a misfortune for Korea that Trump is the U.S. President. As allies, it’s as if neither the U.S. nor South Korea has a proper leader."
As a solution to overcome the crisis, he mentioned solidarity with Japan. Jongjeong Myosim emphasized, "Japan and Korea share the same roots. Japan rose to become an economic powerhouse even after experiencing the extreme crisis of the atomic bomb because it was centered. Our country's center is currently shaking. The children born today are starting out in a nation that will exist for the next 100 years. We must expand exchanges with Japan and rectify our culture. We should take the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan as an opportunity to further broaden cultural exchange."
South Korean politics has many intersections with religion, which has led to significant side effects. Jongjeong Myosim did not shy away from criticizing this as well. He advised, "These days, there is too much misconduct in the religious sphere. Paradoxically, one should not blindly believe in religion. Blind faith breeds evil and invites superstition. You should not be obsessed; you must understand properly and believe. That is true faith."