Buddhism, start with the Buddha who was born over 2500 years ago at a place called Lumbini (in Nepal), has made a great contribution to Korean culture as well as thinkers.
Buddhism has been spreaded in Korea since AD 372, after its inflow from China, having appx 15 million believers in Buddhism now in Korea.
But Korean Buddhism is different from other forms of Buddhism because of its attempt newly what it sees as inconsistencies, which means that Korean monks developed a new holistic approach to Buddhism.

It has resulted in a distinct variation of Buddhism, so it may be true that Korean Buddhism has got strong influence on that of the Western world.
Korean Buddhism values 'Seon(禪)‘lineage above everthing else, which emphasises on everyday's meditation ahead of philosohical & scriptural pursuit.

Recently Korean society of Buddhism saw the new wave for development & harmony, transcending above all sects in Korean Buddhism.
It is a Buddist 'Cheng Dae Eun' who have played the leading part for the harmonized network of Buddhism in Korea, with a idea that any transmitted Buddhism's ceremony can be a factor of intangible culture treasure in Korea.
Thinking that he was a Dean of Haedong Buddhism College where students learn ways of Buddhist life, ceremovy, and art etc, His efforts for Korean Buddhism's development & popularization may be an epoch in history of progress in Korean Buddhism.

(The popularization of Buddhism with 'harmony')

'

First of all we have to get a readiness of mind to listen Buddhism's sermon. Namely it's the most important to delete the crooked mind of our human-being !'
said the Buddhist,'Cheng Dae Eun' who recently took up chairmanship of General Association of Buddhism/Incheon area, one of the biggest ciry in Korea.
Regarding his long-cherished desire on three main points, as one of the leaders of Korean Buddhism, he said 'We, as a buddhist, should be over all Buddhism sects firstly, and then secondly we make the popularization of Buddhism in 'harmony' atmosphere'

According to him, especially the popularization can make easily our sociey be purificated.
'Lastly we have to get the view of culture, though we are Buddhists. Because people can absorb Buddhism's ceremony as one of the heritages of traditional culture.' the Buddhist 'Cheng dae Eun' mentioned.

Considering that we are Koreans with resposibility to hand over 'beautiful and purificated society'as well as 'traditional culture' to our decendants, it may be quite natural for us to digest his three main desires, whether we are a beliver of Buddhism or not.