Jiyul, a South Korean Buddhist monk, waged a years-long battle against a government plan to drill a tunnel through the mountain on which her monastery sits. “I was naive,” she says. “I had been in isolation for so long, I didnt even know there were cellphones and computers.” (Kang Byung-doo / For The Times)
Jiyul takes a photo of the Nakdong River in central South Korea. She intends to document the wildlife along the river in hopes of stopping a government project to create a shipping canal. (Kang Byung-doo / For The Times)
Jiyul makes coffee for visitors. (Kang Byung-doo / For The Times)
Jiyul chats with the owner of a small inn where she stayed for free during part of her river pilgrimage. (John M. Glionna / Los Angeles Times)
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Though some consider Jiyul an environmental hero, she has also become an outcast, even among fellow monks. She is a polarizing figure, says Cho Eun-su, an associate professor of philosophy at Seoul National University. Some people call her stubborn; others see her as a pioneer. But whether seen as positive or negative, her work has brought change. (Kang Byung-doo / For The Times)
