# Ha Seung-moo

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Ha Seung-moo (born October 13, 1963; also spelled Ha Seung moo) is a South Korean poet, Presbyterian minister, seminary professor, and theologian.

## Early life

Ha was born on February 5, 1964, in Sacheon, South Korea. Ha is the grandson of Sir Ha Yeon, who is the twenty-first grandson of Joseon's most notable prime minister, Yeonguijeong.
After his basic education, Ha began to read modern literature. He was motivated by a bookseller who visited the school and purchased a series of books on modern Korean literature. Thereafter, readings of Korean literature sparked his interest in writing and philosophy. In this process, Ha began to question humanity and thing-in-itself. During the high school years, Ha's spiritual journey continued. He pursued truth, the meaning of life and humanity in Buddhism, Hinduism and other major religions. In this spiritual journey, he read many western philosophical classics.
Ha was influenced by the works of Sigmund Freud, Carl Gustav Jung, Immanuel Kant and Søren Kierkegaard. Ha experienced spiritual progression recognizing the importance and meaning of human existence, and the 'despair' of Kierkegaard and the 'reason' of Kant became a less serious issue to his life and study. At the end of 12th grade, Ha had a mystical religious experience that made him confess that God is the only answer to his quest for meaning. Ha then became a Christian.
His poetry became an artistic stimulus for artists in parts of England and America.

## Career

Ha became a Presbyterian minister and a professor of historical theology at Korea Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He teaches Biblical Exposition. Ha established Korea Presbyterian Church and the Korea Presbyterian Seminary, serving as Pastoral General, Christian education, Missions etc., at his own expense.
* 5th Secretary General, The World Association of Korean Writers(2024~)
* Chief Ed officer, Korea Creative Writing Education Institute(2024~)
* President of Korea Headquarters, International Union of Reformed Churches (2024~)
* 4th President, Korea Presbyterian Theological Seminary (2024~)
* President, Busan Social Information Forum (BSIF)(NPO, 2003~)
* Catholic University of Daegu Graduate School, Department of History Lecturer (2021-2024.3)
* President, Busan Christian Writers Association (BCWA)(2013~)
* Research Committee Member of the World Association of Korean Writers(2008~ )
* President & Moderator(1st, 2nd), General Assembly of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church of Korea(2014-2017)
* Professor of Historical Theology, Korea Presbyterian Theological Seminary(2012~)
* First President, Korea Presbyterian Theological Seminary (2012-2015)
* Council Member of National Unification Advisory Council (2003-2007)
* Expert Member(Unification Education) of Ministry of Unification (2004-2005)
* CG & Chief Executive of Hyundai PR Research Center (2004-2006)
* CG & Chief Executive of Korea IT Cultural Content Research Institute (2003-2004)
* First Vice Chairman, Korea Universities PR Association (1997)
* Chief Editor, Pusan International Forum (Quarterly Academic journal, 1994–1997)

## Literary career

Ha began to write poems in Han-Kyoreh Literature (한겨레문학). His poem "Recollections of Homo Sapiens" (호모사피엔스의 기억) introduced him to the public. Ha's work faced difficulties, because it conflicted with traditional Korean literature. Nonetheless, Korean writers and poets generally admired his poetic work.

### Poetry

Source:
Park Jaesam is a representative of Korea-specific mentality. He evaluated Ha in the examination Review. He found that while Ha's poetry has a deep inner world, life and death, reality and ideal, metaphysics and metaphysics, and self-determination are dominant.
He stated, "Super aesthetic psalm is a manifestation of his poems, and a critical approach is difficult if you do not understand the symbolism of religion and aesthetics to interpret such works."
Professor Kyung-Soo Yoon, among the critics of Ha's poetry, the peculiar one is deepening the symbolic systems of the surreal tendency of Yi Sang (Kim Hae-Kyung) poet, His unique poetical style is considered to be reasonable to see in terms of the mystical experiences and spiritual aspirations that have returned to Christianity.
Since 1994, he announced at the time, such as newspapers, magazines, etc. and has become rather widely known to the general reader rather than a literary background. In particular, while a Christian, religion without being bound to the Christian poetry style, semiotics, and embody the poetic image to deepen the symbolic system of aesthetics. His poems "The sixth tailbone of the Cenozoic era", "The perspiration from the sun comes out" have appeared well.
In the 2000s after is, the poem "Songs of Wildflowers" depicting the lyricism by intuition and There is a "The story of an elephant's hand expelled by the sky", which can be said to be poetry that first introduced allegorical techniques to the work of poetry.
Other common collaborative poetry books are “There is no way to nostalgia” (Bichnam, 1996), “The Southern Poetry” (Busan Poets' Association, 1999), “Flowers bloom, On the bluestem” (Jaggadeul, 2006), “Seihangobi. (Jaggadeul, 2008), “Forest of Sosa Tree” (Jaggadeul, 2011), “My poetry I choose” (Chaegmandeuneun Jib, 2012).
In recent years, Byeon Uisu literary critic wrote Ha Seungmoo's poetry world, and in his special review commented on poetic excellence:
   Immanuel Kant thought that he gained knowledge based on time and space. and Albert Einstein thought that there would be no time beyond the speed of light. of course, "time" of Kant is psychological, and Einstein's "time" is relative. but, in the strict sense that time does not exist as an objective entity, is Kant or Einstein's proposition ultimately an imperfect wisdom of "99.9%" rather than "100%"?
   Ha Seung-moo evokes the problem of the essentially axioms of the 'Sophist type' of language. The river of time never flows, says time exists. The wisdom of the human writes the “Critique of Pure Reason”, however, discuss the conversion of time and space. But poet say that people don't spend the time they think they do. These views of the Ha poet are extraordinary.

## Notable awards

* 2024 National Assembly of the Republic of Korea Chairman's Merit Medal(Social Contribution)
* 104 Calvinist and Reformed Theologians of the 21st Century Selected(rank #6) 2024, FamousFix LISTS
* Edurank (World Universities Ranking Agency), 'Notable Kosin University Alumni in 2024' 1st place
* Edurank (World Universities Ranking Agency), 'Notable Busan University of Foreign Studies Alumni in 2024' 2nd place
* Edurank (World Universities Ranking Agency), 'Notable Catholic University of Daegu Alumni in 2024' 2nd place
* Edurank (World Universities Ranking Agency), 'Notable Gwangju University Alumni in 2024' 3rd place
* Pride Korea Awards 2020(10th)
* Busan branch Citation of the Korea Military Merit Awardees Association(2020)
* The 34th Busan Metropolitan City Citizen Award(2018)
* 2018 National Theologian Award
* Military Manpower Administration Citation(2017)
* Ministry of Foreign Affairs Overseas Koreans Foundation Gold Award(2006)
* National Forum Union & 21 century Bundang Forum Achievement Award(2006)
* Busan University of Foreign Studies Graduate School of Education Achievement Award(1997)
* The 3rd Hankyore New Literary Prize(1994)
* Busan Korea's Christian Literary Society Best Work Award(1995)
* Army Dulumi Church' Merit Appreciation Plaque(in 133rd ADA Battn, 1987)
* Commander Award of the 1st ADA Bde(1986)
* Commander Award of the 1st ADA Bde(1985)
* BnCmd Award of the 1st ADA Bde 133rd ADA Battn.(1986)
* BnCmd Award of the 1st ADA Bde 133rd ADA Battn.(1985)
* Dongmyeong Technical High School Achievement Award (1984)

## Works

* The sixth tailbone of the Cenozoic era (신생대의 여섯 번째 꼬리뼈, 2024), Publisher: Karitas (ISBN : 978-89-97087-87-7)
* The Southern Poetry (Nambu-eui si: Busan siin sagwajip, 남부의 시: 부산 시인 사화집, 1999). Publisher: Busan Poets' Association (1999)
* Guerrilla, Vol 3. Publisher: Yeni (1999)
* Guerrilla, Vol 4. Publisher: Yeni (1999)
* Australia Korean Literature (Hoju-Hanin Munhak, 호주한인문학). Publisher: The Association of Korean Writers in Australia (2002)
* Australia Korean Literature (Hoju-Hanin Munhak, 호주한인문학). Publisher: The Association of Korean Writers in Australia (2003)
* Flowers on the Blue Stem (Ggodi pinda pureun julgie, 꽃이 핀다 푸른 줄기에, 2006).
* Seihan Gobi (Seihan gobi, 세이한 고비, 2008). ISBN 978-89-957530-8-8
* Hornbeam Forest (Sosanamu sup, 소사나무 숲, 2011). ISBN 978-89-93433-09-8