By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
Buddhist leaders Friday agreed to accept President Lee Myung-bak's apology which was made early this month.
Won Hak, chief monk of a committee comprised of leaders from all Buddhist sectors, told reporters at Jogye Temple that they consider Lee's apology sincere. ``Taking into consideration increasing social conflict and economic hardship, we've decided to take President Lee's remarks positively,'' he said.
The reaction came weeks after Lee expressed a deep regret over his government's alleged discrimination against Buddhists. ``Some civil servants have recently made remarks that could cause misunderstanding over religious bias. I express my deep regret at such remarks that hurt Buddhists' feelings,'' the President said at a Cabinet meeting on September 9.
Buddhist leaders, however, said they still want the National Assembly members pass a bill which codifies a ban on discrimination against religion, not a presidential decree as the President promised earlier.
President Lee is an elder at a local Christian church. His administration has come under fire for a series of incidents that allegedly reveal its religious bias, including the appointment of Christians to top government posts and the omission of major Buddhist temples from online government maps.
Buddhists have demanded for the dismissal of Eo Cheong-soo, chief of the National Police Agency, for searching Jogye Order's head monk Ven. Jigwan's car in late July. Eo also visited Jogye Order leaders and made an apology for the incident.
Buddhists plan to decide at a meeting in November whether they will accept Eo's apology.