Suit to confirm that a senior pastor lacked his position, contesting his term and a reconfirmation vote

A dispute arose among church members over a senior pastor's term and the reconfirmation process, and some members sued for confirmation that the senior pastor did not hold the position.

The trial court found that there had been an agreement, at the time of the senior pastor's appointment, making his position conditional on reconfirmation, and Attorney Jaehoon Lee represented the senior pastor on appeal.

The key issues were whether there was an agreement at the time of the senior pastor's appointment that he would be reconfirmed after a certain period, and whether such an agreement had the effect of limiting his term.

Also at issue were the validity of a reconfirmation resolution adopted by a vote of the entire congregation when the denomination's internal rules did not provide for a reconfirmation procedure, and the scope of judicial review of internal decision-making by a religious organization.

Attorney Lee reviewed the discussions at the time of the senior pastor's appointment and the related evidence, and challenged the trial court's findings of fact and legal conclusions, focusing on the point that discussions about reconfirmation must be distinguished from an agreement limiting the term.

In particular, he analyzed the denomination's Doctrines and Discipline and relevant Supreme Court of Korea precedents to develop legal arguments on the senior pastor's term and the effect of the church's internal rules.

He also reviewed how the reconfirmation resolution came about through the vote of the entire congregation and the procedure followed, and argued that the resolution's validity should be respected in light of the autonomy of religious organizations and freedom of religion.