[(가평)한국=AP/KNS뉴스통신] 3일 통일교 창시자 문선명 총재가 타계했다. AP통신에 따르면 문 총재는 2주년 폐렴으로 입원, 경기도 가평에 위치한 청심국제병원에서 숨졌다.
통일교 안호열 대변인은 임종 당시 문 총재의 부인 한학자 여사와 자녀들이 임 총재의 가는 길을 지켰다고 전했다. 문 총재는 향년 92세에 죽음을 맞이했다.
지난 1920년 북한에서 태어난 문 총재는 1954년 서울에서 통일교를 창시했고 전쟁 직후 자신을 통일교주로 지칭하며 통일교 총재에 올랐다.
통일교는 전 세계 곳곳에서 전도를 통해 수백만명의 신도들을 이끌어왔으며 국제적인 명성을 얻는 동시에 신도들을 세뇌시켜 일방적인 숭배를 통한 헌금을 수수했다는 의혹을 받아온 바 있다.
GAPYEONG, South Korea (AP) — The Rev. Sun Myung Moon was a self-proclaimed messiah who built a global business empire. He called both North Korean leaders and American presidents his friends, but spent time in prisons in both countries. His followers around the world cherished him, while his detractors accused him of brainwashing recruits and extracting money from worshippers.
Moon died Monday at a church-owned hospital near his home in Gapyeong, northeast of Seoul, two weeks after being hospitalized with pneumonia, Unification Church spokesman Ahn Ho-yeul told The Associated Press. Moon's wife and children were at his side, Ahn said. He was 92.
Moon founded his Bible-based religion in Seoul in 1954, a year after the Korean War ended, saying Jesus Christ personally called on him to complete his work.
Caption
FILE - In this Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009 file photo, Rev. Sun Myung Moon speaks during a mass wedding ceremony arranged by the church at Sun Moon University in Asan, South Korea. Rev. Moon, self-proclaimed messiah who founded the Unification Church, has died at age 92 church officials said Monday, Sept. 3, 2012. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)
이희원 기자 kate@kns.tv
