1. Eom Su-in and the Beginnings of ‘Second Coming Jesus’ Deification
The World Mission Society Church of God’s second large-scale doomsday prophecy was spearheaded by Eom Su-in. In 1978, Eom published the book God Who Came in the Flesh, in which she deified Ahn Sahng-hong as the Second Coming Jesus, manipulating the “King David’s 40 Years” doctrine to construct a theoretical basis for apocalyptic teaching. Eom argued that, just as King David ruled for 40 years, Jesus too must complete his gospel ministry over 40 years. Since Jesus was crucified at age 33 and did not accomplish this, the logic emerged that the “Second Coming Jesus” must fulfill the remaining 7 years.

2. Leadership’s Overinterpretation and the Nationwide Spread of Doomsday Teaching
Ahn Sahng-hong left a note in his sermon notebook predicting that after preaching the gospel for 37 years from 1951, he would ascend to heaven in 1988. After Ahn’s sudden death in 1985, this record was distorted and amplified by Kim Joo-cheol and Jang Gil-ja. Kim reinforced deification by claiming that “according to King David’s prophecy, Ahn died at the appointed age of 67.” In 1988, a new apocalyptic prophecy that “Ahn Sahng-hong will return to take believers in three years” was spread nationwide.

3. Member Mobilization and Systematic Manipulation
Kim Joo-cheol and Jang Gil-ja led communal living and training sessions for members in tents on Mount Biryeong, Jeonui-myeon, Chungbuk, and held large-scale rallies at venues like Yeouido and Olympic Stadium in Seoul. Tens of thousands of doomsday flyers were distributed, and slogans such as “1988 is the year of salvation and judgment” were everywhere. Members were pressured to show devotion and make offerings in order to avoid judgment.

4. Failed Prophecy and Leadership Irresponsibility
But even after 1988 passed, the prophecy failed to come true. The leadership remained silent without any official apology or explanation, and even shifted the blame onto members. While some members left the church, many others, in their confusion, continued to depend on new doctrines from the leadership.

5. Social Repercussions and Structural Problems
The 1988 doomsday prophecy was not merely a failed doctrinal interpretation. The large-scale gatherings and flyer distributions fueled social anxiety, and public trust in the Church plummeted. The leadership’s evasion of responsibility, exploitation of members, and distortion of scripture revealed fundamental structural issues within the church.

6. The Beginning of a Repeated Pattern of Fraud
The 1988 doomsday event set the template for subsequent repeated apocalyptic predictions in the World Mission Society Church of God. The pattern of exploiting members’ fears and faith to demand devotion and financial offerings, then dodging responsibility when prophecies failed, has continued ever since.

7. Conclusion: Psychological Manipulation and Exploitation in the Name of Religion
The 1988 doomsday prophecy was a prime example of the systematic distortion of scripture to exploit members. The church leadership used members’ faith and fears to expand its influence, and despite failed prophecies, showed no remorse or accountability, simply preparing for the next false prediction. This incident starkly illustrates how the World Mission Society Church of God has been transformed from a mere religious community into an organized group committing systematic fraud under the guise of religion.