[News Today] PASTOR LOSES SUIT OVER SUSPENSION

[LEAD]
Pastor Lee Dong-hwan faced excommunication after being suspended for holding a benediction for sexual minorities. His lawsuit challenging the suspension has been dismissed by the court. The ruling stated that internal sanctions by religious bodies are beyond judicial review, outside the standard criteria.

[REPORT]
The Korean Methodist Church suspended Pastor Lee Dong-hwan of Glory Jeil Church for two years after he offered benediction to sexual minorities at an LGBTQ event held in Incheon in 2019.

A court dismissed a suit filed by the pastor who sought to have the suspension nullified, claiming that there were procedural and substantive problems with it.

The bench ruled that a religious organization's internal discipline measures are not subject to judicial reviews and that the suspension on Lee expired in October 2022 so there are no gains to be achieved through a suit.

The judges also said that the autonomy of religious organizations should be ensured as much as possible.

Despite the addition that the church's rules may limit basic rights like freedom of conscience, they concluded it is hard to say the rules excessively restrict such rights, as they were established through a democratic agreement inside the church.

Pastor Lee immediately protested against the ruling.

Lee Dong-hwan/ Pastor, Glory Jeil Church
We are already on the path to victory. We will appeal and win eventually. We will remove Clause 8 of Article 3, which is discriminatory against sexual minorities.

Even after receiving the disciplinary measure, Lee continued participating in LGBTQ events like prayer meetings and lectures. The Korean Methodist Church excommunicated Lee in March.

Lee filed another suit against the church's decision. In July, a court accepted his request for an injunction on the excommunication.