"Experiencing Patriotic Buddhism via VR"... 22 Billion Won in Tax Money for Experience Center?

Donghwasa Temple, located on Palgongsan Mountain in Daegu, is a famous temple that politicians always visit along with Seomun Market during election seasons. As the head temple of the 9th District of the Jogye Order, it governs 146 branch temples, exerting significant influence in both the Buddhist order and the region. Former President Yoon Suk Yeol visited the temple during his first regional tour as president-elect, and it was also where his father's 49th-day Buddhist memorial service was held. Recently, Donghwasa has been in turmoil. At the center of the controversy is Venerable Uihyeon, a senior monk known as the "Great Monk," and the project he spearheaded to build the "Samyeongdaesa Experience and Education Center" (hereinafter referred to as the Samyeongdaesa Experience Center).
  Donghwasa Temple set out to construct the Samyeongdaesa Experience Center in 2023 with subsidies from the central government and local authorities. The stated purpose was to "inspire patriotic spirit and pride in traditional cultural heritage among the general public through the establishment of an immersive media experience center and an educational hall honoring the patriotic Buddhist spirit of Venerable Samyeongdaesa, who fought Japanese invaders during the Imjin War." Out of a total subsidy of 10 billion won, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Daegu Metropolitan City, and Daegu's Dong-gu District agreed to split the burden by 30%, 40%, and 30%, respectively.

However, even before breaking ground, the subsidy was increased by 7 billion won. The following year, another 5 billion won was added, turning it into a massive 22 billion won project. Even within the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, internal voices noted, "It is unusual for the subsidy amount to be this large and to more than double."


What on earth happened? Officials from Donghwasa Temple and construction company representatives involved in the project concurred, "This happened because the building design was altered under the instructions of the 'Great Monk'." The Great Monk, who was enthusiastic about building the center, ordered design changes every time he returned from visiting famous museums across the country. When construction funds ran short, he actively stepped forward to secure additional budget. Consequently, after the budget was increased, the building was raised from a one-story structure with one underground level to a two-story structure above ground. The interior and exterior wall finishes were changed from paint to granite, and the front yard was paved with stone instead of grass, among other design modifications.
    The local government that approved the design changes explained, "It was to ensure the durability of the building within the national heritage area, harmonize with the surrounding landscape, and reduce maintenance costs." As a result, the experience center was built larger and with higher-end materials.

However, the money spent this way was originally additional budget received after Donghwasa Temple claimed it would "utilize virtual reality (VR) videos and conduct related exhibitions to allow vivid experiences of Samyeongdaesa." The necessity had been recognized through the channels of the district office, city hall, Culture Ministry, Ministry of Planning and Budget, and the National Assembly. According to the project plan submitted by Donghwasa at the time, it aimed to 'create productions utilizing the metaverse, virtual convergence technology, AR, and immersive content to help understand the meaning of patriotism and historical value, and enjoy the value of Buddhist culture.'

The subsidy allocated for 'VR and exhibition work' expanded from an initial 1.2 billion won to 7.85 billion won (1st increase), and then to 10.65 billion won (2nd increase). This accounts for half of the final project cost. Most of the funds received for this were diverted to construction costs. To check whether experiences and exhibitions were possible as planned, we looked inside the building.


In the 'Immersive Media Room' on the basement floor, about ten projectors hung from the ceiling, and sofas were scattered across the floor. Since the room operates by projecting onto white walls and floor without a separate screen, wall work was reportedly done to make the images appear more vivid. However, experiences like 'VR' or 'AR' promised at the start of the project could not be had. This is because there is no related equipment, let alone content. Currently, the only content available is a single video from the National Museum of Korea on the theme of 'samsara' (reincarnation). According to a construction official, because it was not an in-house produced video, editing the video to fit the room's dimensions alone cost around 20 million won.

In addition, two exhibition rooms and the ground floor space remained completely empty. On the second floor, two six-person desks and four empty bookshelves were all that was there. Although construction is finished, it is in a state where it cannot immediately open its doors to visitors. When officials were asked how much was spent on 'VR and exhibition work,' they responded as follows:
    Inscriptions praising the Great Monk were even engraved on the building's exterior walls. This was not in the originally approved design. In 2025, as the head abbot of Donghwasa changed, the Great Monk left Donghwasa. We sought out the Great Monk to hear his side on whether the construction process of the experience center was appropriate, but were unable to meet him.

We asked the Jogye Order. When asked if the Samyeongdaesa Experience Center was built in accordance with the project's purpose, they replied, "'VR and exhibition'-related content was one of the exhibition methods considered in the early stages of the project, and part of the project content was modified to maximize the practical effect for visitors." They also stated, "The project budget was increased through lawful approval, and budget allocations were adjusted within that scope," adding, "We are working toward an early opening." Regarding the inscriptions on the wall, they added, "They do not align with the original purpose of the project and will be removed later."

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and local governments repeatedly emphasized that 'lawful procedures were followed,' while being busy passing the buck. Daegu Metropolitan City and Dong-gu District stated, "The project plan was modified through lawful procedures taking into account site conditions and project efficiency," adding, "The project was executed within the modified scope, which aligns with the purpose and intent of the budget support." They implied that changing the project plan was Donghwasa's prerogative, and that local governments only need to verify if there were procedural issues. A Culture Ministry official said, "Since the project period runs until the end of this year, the temple can simply provide content using its own funds," adding, "It is too early to conclude that this is a failed project."

We cannot help but ask whether the government and local authorities themselves are taking the National Assembly's budget review process lightly, treating plans as merely 'drafts.' As projects involving taxpayer money, their necessity must be strictly examined from the start. We must repeatedly ask whether plans are achievable and whether budget execution will be effective. The National Assembly's discussion process must also be transparent. Although the subsidy for the Samyeongdaesa Experience Center was more than doubled mid-project, no related discussion can be found in the National Assembly transcripts.
 
Article 20, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution stipulates that 'religion and politics shall be separated.' In accordance with the principle of separation of church and state, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism supports the 'construction of religious cultural facilities' like the Samyeongdaesa Experience Center, placing emphasis on culture that the general public can enjoy, rather than supporting a specific religion.

The news team requested information disclosure on subsidy support details for religious cultural facility construction from 2013, when the Ministry began making data public, to recent times. Out of a total of 84 cases, support for Buddhist facilities accounted for 51 cases, followed by Catholic (16 cases), and Protestant and Confucian facilities (7 cases each). Tax money spent during this period alone reached approximately 760.6 billion won. In 2026, 40.7 billion won is being provided. As a significant amount of tax money is involved, careful analysis of user demand and expected effects is necessary.

An evaluation of the capacity of religious organizations seeking to build such facilities must also take place. In its 'Analysis of the 2025 Fiscal Year Settlement' report published in July 2026, the National Assembly Budget Office pointed out, "Cases are recurring where projects are halted because preliminary administrative procedures like building permits are delayed after receiving the budget, or because self-financing costs cannot be secured." This suggests the possibility that projects lacking basic qualifications were selected from the start.
 
Following SBS's report, the Jogye Order released a statement saying, "It is very regrettable that the long-standing efforts of Korean Buddhism and temples seem to be belittled and distorted." At the same time, it added, "We will thoroughly inspect the temples where issues have been raised and promptly devise measures for improvement." As stated by the Jogye Order, religious cultural projects aim at religious and cultural welfare (such as mental and physical healing for citizens) that national or local governments find difficult to directly execute. Since these are facilities built for public welfare using taxpayers' money, subsidy execution must be stricter. Inspections not only of facility construction but also of operational processes must be strengthened to avoid misunderstandings that the government is 'supporting religious groups in violation of the principle of separation of church and state.'

*Related Article: 'Empty' Despite Pouring Tax Money... The 22 Billion Won Twist Behind "Great Monk's Orders" [XR] [SBS 8 News]
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.