Gere Visits Buddhist Temple in S. Korea

Hollywood star Richard Gere -- a Buddhist and a longtime campaigner for the rights of Tibetans -- on Tuesday visited a Buddhist temple during a visit to South Korea.

Gere will later this week also attend an opening ceremony for an exhibition of photographs entitled "Pilgrim" which he took in Tibet and at other sites devoted to the religion.

With his wife and son he toured the Jogye temple in central Seoul, the headquarters of the religion's biggest sect in South Korea.

"I was able to encounter Buddhism through Zen Buddhism and I think it is not a coincidence that I am here at the Jogye Order, which is also Zen Buddhist," Yonhap news agency quoted him as saying.

"I heard Korean Buddhism has a long legacy and I think it is important to maintain the traditions."

The 61-year-old actor, star of "Pretty Woman" and "Chicago", was greeted by the head of the Jogye Order and then went inside the main temple to bow low before a statue of the Buddha.

He will hold a press conference in the city Wednesday and attend the opening ceremony for the photo exhibition the same day.

On Thursday, he will visit other Buddhist temples in the south and experience a temple stay.

Earlier reports said he plans to tour Bulguksa temple in the ancient capital of Gyeongju, 370 km (230 miles) southeast of Seoul, and take part in an overnight stay program at the UNESCO World Heritage site.