| Ock Soo Park | |
| Native Name: | 박옥수 |
| Birth Date: | 2 June 1944 |
| Birth Place: | Seonsan, Gyeongbuk Province, Korea |
| Nationality: | South Korean |
| Known For: | Founder and Senior Pastor of Good News Mission |
| Occupation: | Pastor |
| Children: | Yeong Kook Park (son) Eun Sook Park (daughter) |
| Website: | http://www.ocksoopark.com |
Ock Soo Park (born June 2, 1944) Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea. He founded the Good News Mission, a Christian based new religious movement. He has also founded other organizations, including the Gracias Choir and Orchestra and the International Youth Fellowship (IYF).[1] According to the IYF, he has met with 29 state heads from 23 countries to discuss issues to do with education.[2]
As a minister, Park has founded several organizations.
The Good News Mission was founded in 1972 as a missionary school. The organization runs a number of churches throughout South Korea, and sends missionaries abroad.[3] A fraud/scam case against Park and the Good News Mission ended in an acquittal by Korea's Supreme Court; the charge was that Park had sold stock fraudulently to church members and "raked in unlawful profits", but the Supreme Court held that "it is hard to regard Park as an accomplice".The two lower courts also earlier made a verdict that found Park not guilty.[4]
In 2000, Park founded the Gracias Choir, an orchestra and choral ensemble which travels with Park on his international tours.[5] The choir has won various prizes in choir festivals, including the 2015 Marktoberdorf Choral Competition in Germany.[6]
The International Youth Fellowship (IYF) is a Christian-based NGO which Park established in 2001. It has branches in a number of countries,[7] and also operates the "Good News Corps" for college students.
Park has travelled and delivered sermons internationally. In 2016 he was invited to preach a sermon at the "King's Prayer Meeting" in Swaziland (now Eswatini), which was broadcast by the national radio station.[8]
Park has published a number of books, through his publishing house Good News Publishing, or using self-publishing companies such as Kindle Direct Publishing and Tate Publishing & Enterprises. Titles include
Many churches and theologians have linked Good News Mission with Guwonpa.[9] In the midst of the Sewolho boat tragedy, it became well-known that the captain of the ship was a member of Guwonpa, a known cult in Korea. Several mainstream news outlets then assumed Good News Mission to be a part of Guwonpa, a claim denied by Good News Mission.[10]
In 1992, during its 77th General Assembly, the Presbyterian Church of Korea (TongHap) declared: "The assertion that enlightenment alone leads to salvation reflects a Gnostic perspective. The belief that assurance of salvation equates to salvation itself disregards the sovereignty of God in the work of salvation (Romans 9:6). Furthermore, the failure to distinguish between a one-time repentance for salvation and repeated repentance for sanctification, as well as the claim that identifying oneself as a sinner results in damnation, contradicts biblical teachings."[11]
A high school girl, referred to as A, passed away at the Good News Incheon Church (Pastor Park Young-joon) located in Guwol-dong, Namdong-gu, Incheon. Despite receiving CPR and being rushed to the hospital by the 119 emergency team, she died four hours later. The National Forensic Service, which conducted the autopsy, suspected "pulmonary embolism (a condition where the pulmonary artery is blocked)" and indicated the possibility of abuse.[12]
Initially, the Good News Incheon Church claimed that although A had stayed at the church for about three months, they did not know who she was and denied any abuse. However, it was confirmed that A was a member of the Gracias Choir (Director Park Eun-sook), an affiliate of the Good News Mission (Representative Park Ok-soo, GNM), and had been living at the Good News Incheon Church. Following this revelation, a former member of the Gracias Choir disclosed that they had been assaulted, and as media investigations began, the church's statement changed. A representative from the Good News Incheon Church explained, "A had self-harmed, and bruises might have occurred while trying to restrain her."[13]
Ultimately, on May 24th, the police arrested a female church member, Ms. Kim, who had been living with A, on charges of child abuse resulting in death and sent her to the prosecution. The police then expanded their investigation, and on May 25th, they arrested Park Eun-sook, the daughter of GNM representative Park Ok-soo and director of the Gracias Choir, along with a choir member, Mr. Jo. On June 3rd, they were sent to the prosecution on charges of child abuse resulting in death.[14]
On June 12th, the prosecution announced that Ms. Kim, the female church member initially charged with child abuse resulting in death, was re-indicted on charges of "child abuse murder" after a supplementary investigation. The prosecution stated, "The minor was confined at the church for an extended period, abused through methods such as restraint, and when her life was in danger due to the abuse, she was left unattended, leading to her death." Park Eun-sook and Mr. Jo from the Gracias Choir, an affiliate of GNM, are still under investigation by the prosecution.[15]
The Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office (2011 Case No. 119804) imposed a fine of 5 million KRW by summary order on December 31, 2012, against Mr. Park Ok-soo for violating the Food Sanitation Act. In addition to Mr. Park, the prosecution also imposed fines of 3 million KRW each on Mr. Do and Mr. Jin, who are core members of the Good News Mission, on the same charges. These individuals were accused of unlawfully profiting by promoting the product "Ttobyeol," manufactured by Woonhwa Co., Ltd., as a 'drug' capable of curing cancer and AIDS. However, they refuted these claims by stating, "While it is true that Ttobyeol is being developed as a treatment for cancer and AIDS using plant stem cells, we have never referred to it as a 'drug' or advised stopping anticancer treatments to consume it."[16]
On May 11, 2017, Park Ok-soo was fined 20 million KRW by the Seoul Central District Court for violating the National Land Planning and Utilization Act and the Building Act. This incident adds to his criminal record. The Seoul District Court ruled that Park illegally expanded a structure by installing one or two containers in March 2012 without obtaining the necessary permits from the relevant authorities. Additionally, he was found guilty of violating the Building Act by converting the fourth floor of a church building for office use in January 2015. Consequently, a fine of 20 million KRW was imposed.[17]
Gimcheon University, facing closure after receiving an E grade in the 2016 evaluation and experiencing significant management difficulties, including unpaid staff salaries and a shortfall in student admissions, transferred its management rights to the Good News Mission in 2021. The agreement included inheriting the Christian founding philosophy, job succession, 20 billion KRW in financial support, salary restoration, and management participation until the university is stabilized. Gimcheon University has not officially commented on the transfer to the Good News Mission, which is deemed a cult by the Korean church. The Gimcheon City Christian Council and local churches plan to raise awareness among residents about the cult's risks and the potential harm to the local image.[18]
On April 29, 2024, Gimcheon University amended its academic regulations to establish a "Department of Theology" for the 2025 academic year, aimed at training pastors from the Guwonpa (Salvation Sect). The university also has a Department of Theology in its graduate program to prepare pastors and theologians. Chairman Park Ok-soo announced at a press conference that the university plans to recruit over 500 foreign students annually through its missionary countries and provide financial support amounting to 20 billion KRW.[19]