The 'Black Hands' Reaching Media, Politics, and Culture… The Reality of Cult Encroachment on Society
KO YONG-CHUL Reporter
korocamia@naver.com | 2025-12-21 22:59:58
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Infiltration into media organizations through front groups and forming ties with politics. Expansion into culture, arts, sports, and environmental movements… Urgent national countermeasures needed.
Cult groups disguised as religions are severely polluting the public sphere of our society. Beyond simple proselytization, they are paralyzing the monitoring functions of the media and expanding their influence through backroom deals with political power, shaking the very foundations of the national system.
Media Sector, Defenseless Against 'Disguise Tactics'
The media sector is the most critical battlefield. Recently, cults have been attempting to infiltrate existing media organizations and journalist associations by establishing front groups with plausible names emphasizing 'peace,' 'culture,' and 'human rights.' Leveraging vast financial resources, they place full-page advertisements in major newspapers or establish their own media outlets to glorify their leaders and suppress critical public opinion.
Dangerous Liaison with Politics
The collusion with the political world has also exceeded dangerous levels. During election seasons, cults approach politicians by promising organized voting and manpower mobilization. Politicians, for the sake of immediate electoral gain, often attend their events or send congratulatory messages, inadvertently granting them legitimacy.
'Black Hands' Extending to Culture, Arts, and Sports
Their infiltration has now spread to less visible areas. They establish NGOs for environmental movements, peacebuilding, and international relief to target the general public and youth. In the arts and culture sector, they host large-scale performances to wash their image, while in sports, they expand their contact points with the public through club support.
Countermeasures and Accurate Assessment as a Task
Despite the severity, society's response remains lukewarm. Under the guise of freedom of religion, anti-social criminal acts are often left unchecked. To resolve this, a precise investigation into which cults are operating under which front organizations must come first. The government,
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