Visit to RSS HQ in Nagpur changed my perception about Sangh, from bad to good: Zena Chung, S Korea

NAGPUR (Maharashtra): The maiden visit of a South Korean woman Zena Chung (Seon D Chung) to Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) headquarter in Nagpur in Maharashtra state of India, recently changed the way she thought about this world’s biggest voluntary organization. Like most other foreigners, including those in her own country the Republic of Korea, the perception of RSS in her mind was that of an organization of extremists, fundamentalists and religious hardliners pushing the agenda of Hindutava, and promoting a single religion Hinduism.

“Like many others, I too was grossly wrong carrying a not-so-good image of RSS. This negative perception about RSS is built by the media reports being published about it outside India. However, after I spent time at the RSS head quarter during my visit to Nagpur on December 23, I realized that RSS was not what a section of society, especially outside India thought about it,” said Zena Chung, an economic and trade policy advisor for Gyeongsangbuk-do province of South Korea. A frequent visitor to India, she has set up Indo-Korea Business Culture Center (IKBCC) to promote bilateral interests in India and Korea.

On her arrival at the RSS headquarter Zena Chung was told that she was the first Korean national to visit this place. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that chose Narendra Modi as Prime Minister twice since 2014, is one of the many verticals of RSS. She said that the ambiguity about the very image of RSS led her to visit the RSS HQ. in Nagpur.

“On my visit, I could feel the passion and commitment of RSS members, and their spirit to service, sacrifice, and patriotism they have shown to their nation and their country that has become huge force that moves today’s India. The RSS is a representative conservative organization as a national volunteer group. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also a RSS member originally as a Pracharak. No doubt, RSS promotes Hinduism to unite the nation, and to preserve and strengthen its age-old cultural ethos and fundamentals but equally respects other religions. It enjoys influence in all areas of society, culture, and politics in India,” she added. An ardent supporter of India, Zena Chung also striving hard to set up a Ram Temple in Korea also.

In a letter to Sanjeev K Ahuja, Editor-in-Chief, Asian Community New (ACN) Network, Zena Chang further writes about her understanding of RSS as follows:

Dr. Keshav Baliram Hedgewar (1889-1940) who anticipated the need for strengthening the foundations of the Hindu society and for preparing it for challenges on social, economic, cultural, religious, philosophical and political planes, laid the foundation of RSS in Nagpur on September 27 –the Vijayadashami Day, popularly known as Dussehra in 1925. The day is celebrated to mark triumph of good over evil. During this time India was under the Britain’s colonial rule.

Unlike other mainstream political groups that initially took a stand against the British, they presented themselves as ordinary social movement groups and believed that true independence was achieved by protecting their own unique culture and traditions, and therefore advocated nationalism.

Korea’s NGO Heungsadan and RSS:

The RSS is reminiscent of the Korean social organization Heungsadan founded by an independence activist Dosan Chang-ho Ahn, who led the Korean independence movement. Dosan Chang-ho Ahn later founded the Korean Independence Party in Shanghai in 1930, which also became Korea’s first nationalist political party. However, Heungsadan, led by Dosan Chang-ho Ahn discontinued its operation, and became history after the death of Dosan Chang-ho Ahn in 1938.

The RSS, however, continued to move forward even after the death of its founder Dr. Hedgewar in1940, and today has become the world’s largest non-governmental organization that has a great influence on Indian society, culture, and politics unlike.

What surprised me while visiting the headquarter of RSS in Nagpur was that first, I was the first Korean to visit RSS headquarter in Nagpur and have written a message in its guestbook placed at its headquarter office. I was accompanied by my friend Heiki Ranta, the chairman of the Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Korea, and is said to be the first Finnish person who visited there.

While visiting the RSS headquarter Nagpur I learned that the RSS is an organization served by those who have dedicated their lives to the country and its people. In the future, as more and more people visit Nagpur, the place where India’s caste system was abolished and the home of the Indian RSS, more and more people will dedicate themselves to the development of their nation’s people and their country and that eventually to the world and this dedication and commitment goes beyond personal love and family love.

Proposed construction of Ram Temple in Korea:

The construction of a Ram temple in South Korea, which I have proposed in order to strengthen the historical ties between Korea and India to a closer relationship like the relationship between India and Nepal. It also involves the private sector actively participating in cultural activities rather than the government-to-government approach. Beyond the religious dimension and approaching the cultural exchanges and cultural development, I believe that building a Ram temple in Korea will be a truly great historical turning point and stepping stone in Korea-India relations for the future generations.

Between India and Nepal, it is said that the Lord Ram, revered by the Indians, and his wife Sita was born in present-day Nepal. Therefore, it is said that India and Nepal are brother countries and do not need a visa to visit each other’s country, and even work in government agencies.

Ayodhya connection with South Korea:

As per a legendary story, the Princess Suriratna from Ayodhya in India who later become Queen Heo Hwang-ok after marrying to King Suro Kim of Korea in 48AD, connects Korea and India, and their descendants such as the Gimhae Kim clan, Gimhae Heo clan, and Incheon Lee clan, exist today as living evidence of Korea and India ties. For reference, the number of Garak Jongchinhoe (meaning Garak or Karak Clan) today is approximately 6 million, and if you combine North and South Korea, it is said to be well over 8 million. And this number is said to be larger than the population of Sweden (7.5 million).

As far as I know, I heard that the family of this Ayodhya princess is connected to the Lord Ram. And unfortunately, many people in Korea do not know that the princess of Ayodhya was from a family connected to the Lord Ram. In that sense, I proposed building a Ram temple in South Korea for closer cultural and civil exchanges between Korea and India.

As the saying goes, “history is like a flowing river,” and while there are those who view it positively in all social, cultural, and political phenomena, there are always those who view it negatively. But I believe that the important thing is to reevaluate this and draw lessons for future generations.

In Korea, there is traditional patriotic ideology that can be a driving force underneath the story of today’s Korean economic miracle. Because there is a nation, there are individuals and families. There is also a saying that before requesting what the country will do for us, we should first think about what we will do for the country.

(I personally extend my gratitude to the honorable senior RSS members such as Mohan Bhagwat ji, Indresh Kumar ji, Anil Vatek , Srirish Wate ji, Suryakantkelker ji, Dr. Brijesh Kuntal ji, Dr. Sanjeev Chaudhary ji, Subash Chandra ji, Ravinderpat Tuli ji, Anil Kumar Garg ji, Prof. Arun Kumar Tyagi ji, and Mukesh Tyagi ji for helping me to have a visit to RSS headquarter.)

About Ms. Zena Chung:

Seon D Chung (commonly known as Zena Chung), is founder and chairperson of the Indo-Korea Business Culture Center (IKBCC), and an economic and trade policy advisor for Gyeongsangbuk-do province of South Korea. She is also a recipient of Sarojini Naidu International Award for Women’s Development and prestigious Grand Prize for the 100 most distinguished Koreans this year (2023).

Zena Chung is an integral player in the Indian Economic Trade Organization (IETO), a prominent institution supported by the Indian government to propel trade initiatives. A transformative force, she was bestowed the honor of being appointed as the director of the South Korea Committee and the Foreign Investors Council in June 2020.