Sambo Sunim, the head monk of Beopheungsa Temple in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, passed away on May 27. He was 76 years old, with 61 years in the Buddhist order.
According to the Buddhist community, on June 1, Sambo Sunim first visited Woljeongsa Temple in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, in 1965, where he encountered the teachings of Master Tanheo and entered monastic life. He trained at temples including Woljeongsa and Jeongamsa, and later held several major positions within the Jogye Order, including head monk of Sangwonsa and Woljeongsa temples on Odaesan Mountain, board member of Dongguk University Foundation, and member of the Religious Adjudication Committee. In recognition of his lifelong dedication and practice, he was elevated to the highest Buddhist rank of Daejongsa by the Jogye Order’s Council of Elders in November 2024.
The monk also had an unusual background. In 1970, he served as a Marine during the Vietnam War and received the Hwarang Distinguished Military Service Medal. In 1980, he suffered persecution after resisting the Chun Doo Hwan administration’s crackdown on the Buddhist community and was forcibly detained at the controversial Samcheong re-education camp.
Sambo Sunim spent his entire life practicing the philosophy of non-possession and living modestly. In 2015, he donated 330 million KRW (approx. 217,874 USD) toward the Jogye Order’s temple restoration project and charity funds. In 2020, he donated his entire lifetime savings — including disability pensions he had accumulated over the years — totaling 3 billion KRW (approx. 1.98 million USD) to Woljeongsa Temple, saying he hoped the money would help students who could not afford to continue their studies.
His teachings became widely known through the 2020 EBS documentary series 'Korea Travel – Mountain Temples in Winter.' During the broadcast, the monk shared his daily life with his beloved dog, Bori. A clip of Bori licking the monk’s head during an interview went viral online and earned him the affectionate nickname “Chupa Chups Monk.” Bori passed away in March 2024 at the age of 10.
Sambo Sunim’s funeral ceremony was held at Woljeongsa Temple on May 29, followed by a traditional Buddhist cremation ceremony at the temple’s cremation grounds.
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