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Shin Dong-A June issue 'Church of God' 32 pages all-color...Dong-A Ilbo Publishing Bureau, intensive transactions in the range of KRW 700 million in May and June

"55th Anniversary of the World Mission Society of the Church of God, 3 Million Saints Era"

This is an article from the June issue of Shindonga. The June issue of Shin Dong-A, a monthly magazine, has 32 pages devoted to the Church of God. The cover of the June issue is a photo of Rev. Joo Chul Kim, General President of the Church of God.

According to the transaction records of the Church of God and the Dong-A Ilbo publishing house obtained by Media Today, the Dong-A Ilbo publishing house, which produces Shin Dong-ah, received more than 1.2 billion won in publishing fees from the World Mission Society of the Church of God (hereinafter referred to as the Church of God) from January to June this year.

In particular, by the time the June issue of Shindonga came out, over 780 million won had been traded. In addition to Shin Dong-A, the women's magazine published by Dong-A Ilbo also published an article on the Church of God in its LIVING&ISSUE section on March 22. In this way, the Dong-A Ilbo received a total of more than 1.2 billion won from the Church of God between January 3 and June 14.

It is not uncommon for media organizations to report on promotional articles for religious organizations such as the Church of God and sell books in exchange for profit. However, in the case of the Dong-A Ilbo Publishing Bureau, which produces Shin Dong-A, the amount was over 1.2 billion won for six months and 32 pages were devoted to the book. In the religious world, it is also pointed out that "the media massively promotes controversial religious organizations and confuses people.“ 

"In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in the number of cases of publishing promotional articles in exchange for money rather than creating magazines that readers want to read," said Mr. C, a journalist at the Dong-A Ilbo. "What's even more troubling is the atmosphere in which such transactions are not considered a problem."

According to Mr. C and Mr. D, who is familiar with the newspaper's inner workings, this trend has only gotten worse since Mr. E, the publishing director, took over.

"The Church of God has been declared a cult by many Christian organizations, including the Hangi Chong," said Jin Yong-sik, president of the Korean Christian Cult Counseling Center (pastor of Sangrok Church in Ansan). "When the media introduces cults as normal religions, more victims are created. "When the media introduces a cult as a normal religion, it creates more victims." People who read the publicity become confused about whether the religion is a cult or not.