Tongil Group ( ko, 통일그룹) is a Korean business group (

chaebol A chaebol (, ; ) is a large industrial South Korean conglomerate run and controlled by an individual or family. A chaebol often consists of multiple diversified affiliates, controlled by a person or group whose power over the group often exc ...

) associated with the Unification Church (UC). (“Tongil” is Korean for “unification,” the name of the Unification Church in Korean is “Tongilgyo.”) It was founded in 1963 by Unification Church founder

Sun Myung Moon Sun Myung Moon (; born Yong Myung Moon; 6 January 1920 – 3 September 2012) was a Korean religious leader, also known for his business ventures and support for conservative political causes. A messiah claimant, he was the founder of the Unif ...

(following the purchase of a surplus Japanese

lathe A lathe () is a machine tool that rotates a workpiece about an axis of rotation to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, deformation, facing, and turning, with tools that are applied to the workpiece to c ...

in 1962 page 151.) as a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

organization which would provide revenue for the UC. Its core focus was manufacturing but in the 1970s and 1980s it expanded by founding or acquiring businesses in pharmaceuticals, tourism, and publishing. In 1998 Tongil Group was about 35th in size among South Korean business groups and was in the process of expanding into

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

, with the blessing of the South Korean government which had previously forbidden relationships between North Korea and South Korean businesses. In the 1990s Tongil Group suffered as a result of the

1997 Asian Financial Crisis The Asian financial crisis was a period of financial crisis that gripped much of East Asia and Southeast Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown due to financial contagion. However, the recovery in 1998–1 ...

. By 2004 it was losing money and was $3.6 billion in debt. In 2005 Moon’s son, Kook-jin Justin Moon (founder of

Kahr Arms Kahr () is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Andrew Kahr, executive * Claudia Kahr (b 1955), Austrian judge * Gustav Ritter von Kahr (1862–1934), German politician See also

* KAHR, radio station * Kahr Arms, manufa ...

) was appointed chairman of Tongil Group. As of 2010 he was in the process of reforming its businesses by hiring new managers and by closing unprofitable operations. Among Tongil Group’s chief holdings are: The Ilwha Company, which produces ginseng and related products; Ilshin Stone, building materials; and Tongil Heavy Industries, machine parts including hardware for the

South Korean military The Republic of Korea Armed Forces (), also known as the ROK Armed Forces, are the armed forces of South Korea. The ROK Armed Forces is one of the largest and most powerful standing armed forces in the world with a reported personnel strength o ...

. The Tongil Group funds the Tongil Foundation which finances about 20 religious and educational institutions, including the Sun Moon University, and the

Little Angels Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea The Little Angels Children’s Folk Ballet of Korea is a Korean traditional art and dance troupe made up of elementary and middle school children, founded in 1962 by Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church, to project a positive ima ...

. And it donates to the UC, how much and whether by personal or corporate channels, is not public.

References

External links

Tongil Group
- Official Website
Interview
with Kook Jin Moon on Tongil Group's future in the '' JoongAng Daily''
Interview
with Kook Jin Moon in the ''

Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

'' {{Unification Church Unification Church affiliated organizations Chaebol Conglomerate companies established in 1963 Conglomerate companies of South Korea