| NOVEMBER 29
2012 courtesy of familyfed.org
The Unification Church in Korea is calling for candidates to apply
to the newly created Universal Peace (UPA) by December 27, 2012.
Dr.
Hak Ja Han Moon, known by Unificationists as “True Mother,” explained in
a Hoon Dok Hwe given November 5, 2012 that the purpose of UPA in Korea
would be to train young leaders for the church. According to True Mother, the
students will study theology for two years and then dedicate themselves as
church leaders for three years. After UPA students gain experience and become as
good as the current church leaders in Korea, they will then continue their
mission or be given another mission.
UPA
will be selective and will have a disciplined atmosphere similar to that of the
U.S. Army Military Academy at West Point in New York. “Its [Universal Peace
Academy’s] atmosphere is like West Point in the United States, where it will
give a strict education and training so that students can have all the
refinement as future leaders. We will choose students from those who have
bachelor's degrees and the Academy will start next year [in 2013],” True Mother
said.
Jae
Hyun Kim, the Director of UPA, explained the eligibility for UPA will be based
on age, completion of an undergraduate degree, and the results of the
application requirements.
The
application process consists of three required components, a written test, a
physical-fitness test and in-depth interviews, Kim wrote in an email to
unificationnews.com
For
the first component, applicants have to complete two written tests. The first is
a Divine Principle test composed of three sections, including a multiple-choice
test, a short-answer test and an essay question. The second test is an English
comprehension test to gauge the applicants’ English communication skills.
| Push-ups | Sit-ups | Long distance running | |
| Male | 30 in 2 min | 60 in 2 min | 1.5km in 8 min |
| Female | 20 in 2 min | 30 in 2 min | 1.2km in 8 min |
| Females can kneel down |
Second,
a physical-fitness test including sit-ups, push-ups and long-distance running,
must be passed. International applicants do not need to complete the
physical-fitness test, however if during the program a student is not able to
follow the curriculum, he or she could be disqualified from continuing.
Third,
applicants will be interviewed by the professors of the Cheong Shim Graduate
School of Theology and the UPA director. There will be a final interview by the
director of the Cheong Shim Foundation.
Admitted
students who enroll at UPA and agree to study towards a two-year post-graduate
degree and to complete a three-year training in public witnessing will receive a
full scholarship to pay for the tuition, dorm fees, uniform and training
program. UPA will not provide compensation for air fare. Once students enroll in
the academy, they are expected to remain until the time of graduation.
Applicants
who speak Korean are preferred, but those who have exemplary grades (from a
four-year institution) may qualify for additional study in a language school in
Korea. UPA will provide for one year of Korean language classes.
According
to Mr. Kim, the initial capacity is for 30 Koreans and 20 international
applicants.
A
video interview will be conducted for international students who live outside
Korea on January 11-12, 2012. Additionally, international applicants will need
to take a Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK level 3 test).
The
application period will open December 17, 2012 and will close December 27,
2012.
The
application fee is 70,000 won (about 70 dollars), which should be transferred to
the Woori bank 1005-301-213155.
The
required documents needed for the application are:
- A self-introduction
- Academic plan
- Record of diploma (or certificate of expected graduation)
- Academic transcript
- Recommendation from the candidate’s Continental Director
- Full-body photo and headshot ID (JPG file)
- Self-health checklist (dishonest completion of form can lead to discharge from program)
- Korean language certification
- Required D2 visa
Names
of students accepted to UPA will be announced January 17, 2013 on the Cheon
Il Guk UPA homepage (yet to be released), and UPA administrators will
notify the admitted applicants.
Please
send applications or requests for further information on the application process
to Mr. Jae Hyun Kim, director of Universal Peace Academy: upa1@daum.net or
82-31-589-1580.
Contributed
by Lymhwa Kim and Krista Karjalainen.
