During the ribbon-cutting and ground breaking ceremony on Friday, Gil Jin Lee, resident Buddhist monk, said the temple will stand on a portion of the 5,000-square meter lot and will be designed to accommodate over a hundred people.
“The construction work will cover a temple, two monk houses, a dining room and a parking lot,” Lee said.
She said there are over a hundred Korean Buddhists in the CNMI.
According to the contractor, work on the building will start as soon as possible but they have not set a target date for completion yet.
“The completion will depend on the donations that we can get to be able to finish the project soon,” the contractor said.
Saipan Mayor Juan B. Tudela said the construction of the Buddhist temple will be good for Saipan.
“The construction of this Buddhist temple will have a positive effect on the island’s economy,” Tudela said.
He added that soon, the island can expect many Buddhist monks and followers to visit Saipan.
“Who knows, a Buddhist celebration may soon be held that will attract more visitors,” the mayor said.
Tudela said Buddhism is not new to the people of Saipan. It was introduced here prior to World War II during the Japanese administration of the Northern Marianas.
He said Buddhist monks and followers have been coming to Saipan to pay respects to their love ones at the Japanese cemeteries and memorial sites.
“When the temple is completed, our Buddhist visitors will be more comfortable and they can pray in a real temple-setting,” Tudela said.
As part of their rituals, monks offered prayers before the ceremony and poured wines on the ground.
The groundbreaking ceremony was also attended by Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Perry Tenorio, officers of the Korean Association and other dignitaries.
