More than 3,000 pastors from around the world have raised concerns over what they describe as growing threats to religious freedom and the separation of church and state in South Korea.

A total of 3,156 pastors from 55 countries participated in the First World Pastors’ Joint Assembly held on August 13, while another 661 pastors in South Korea joined the event through live broadcasts from 16 regional venues.

The assembly was co-hosted by five Christian organizations: the Korean Christian Coexistence Council, Korea Christian Leaders Training Institute, Pastors’ Solidarity for Life and Human Rights, Russian Evangelical Alliance and Thailand Evangelical Association.

Participants blamed South Korean authorities and political leaders for imposing administrative, financial and judicial pressures that they said were interfering with the activities of Protestant churches and other religious movements.

Among the issues highlighted were the taxation of donations sent by churches to overseas mission fields, discussions around a proposed Religious Corporation Dissolution Bill and the detention and prosecution of elderly religious leaders.

Speakers at the assembly criticized what they described as the imposition of gift taxes on donations sent by churches to support overseas missionary activities.

Kim Gun, Chairman of the Yeongnam Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Hapdong Jungang) said taxation of mission donations amounted to state interference in the church’s religious activities.

“Taxing overseas mission donations are an unjust intrusion by the state into the church’s essential mission of proclaiming the gospel, and a strategy to financially strangle the church,” Kim said.

He also expressed concern over discussions surrounding a Religious Corporation Dissolution Bill, arguing that such legislation could give the state excessive powers over religious institutions.

“The push for a Religious Corporation Dissolution Bill is a dangerous notion that would allow the state to determine the survival of any particular denomination or church under the name of the law at any time,” he said.

Kim warned that measures targeting one religious group could eventually affect other churches.

“The blade pointed at others today will be pointed at all churches tomorrow,” he said.

The assembly also focused on the detention and prosecution of religious leaders, with participants describing what they termed excessive custodial investigations and judicial pressure.

Particular concern was raised over cases involving senior religious leaders, including Lee Man-hee, Chairman of Shincheonji with participants arguing that religious leaders should enjoy the same constitutional protections afforded to other suspects and defendants.

The pastors condemned what they described as targeted criminal investigations and called for respect for the presumption of innocence and the principle of non-custodial investigation.

They also raised concerns over the detention of a 95-year-old religious leader, describing the continued detention of very elderly religious figures as a serious human rights concern.

Rev. Lim Young-woong of the Presbyterian Church of Korea said the issue should not be viewed as a dispute affecting only one denomination.

“The discussion surrounding the dissolution of the religious corporation of a particular denomination is not merely an issue affecting one denomination or one country,” Lim said.

He warned that allowing state power to determine the fate of religious institutions could have wider implications for freedom of worship.

“It is a dangerous warning sign that the faith and religious freedom of all of us can be taken away by state power at any time,” he said.

The participants argued that the principle separating religious institutions from state authority is essential to democracy and the protection of religious freedom.

Kim said the state should not interfere with the internal affairs and doctrines of religious organizations through investigations, tax measures or dissolution proceedings.

“The separation of church and state is a bulwark of democracy that protects the religious sphere from arbitrary intervention by state power,” he said.

He added that state pressure on religious institutions undermines the constitutional principle of religious freedom.

The assembly also heard from Rev. Rugagi Innocent of the Rwanda Evangelical Church in Africa, who said African churches understood the consequences of excessive state intervention in religious affairs.

“Our churches in Africa have also experienced firsthand the tragedies that occur when state power attempts to control the sphere of faith,” Rugagi said.

“As true faith knows no borders, churches around the world will stand in strong solidarity across denominational and national boundaries for the restoration of religious freedom in South Korea,” he added.

The assembly concluded with a Joint Statement reportedly signed by about 2,000 pastors from around the world.

The statement called for an end to what participants described as religiously biased suppression by government and political actors, an end to what they termed trial by public opinion within the judiciary, and respect for the presumption of innocence.

It also called for bail and the immediate release of very elderly religious leaders.

The organizers said the concerns raised during the gathering went beyond any single denomination and represented broader questions about religious freedom and the relationship between the state and religious institutions.

“The cases presented here are not issues affecting only a particular denomination, but grave warning signs concerning religious freedom throughout South Korea,” the organizers said.

They pledged to continue working with international human rights organisations and churches around the world in support of what they described as fair justice, religious freedom and the separation of church and state.