Unification Church Leader Indicted in South Korea Amidst Political Scandal
SEOUL – Hak Ja Han, the 82-year-old leader of the Unification Church, was formally indicted Friday by South Korean investigators on charges stemming from alleged bribery and political funding violations. The indictment centers around accusations that han directed church officials to offer bribes to Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former president Yoon Suk Yeol, and conservative lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong.
Han,widow of the church’s founder Sun Myung moon,has denied the allegations. The Unification Church has also condemned her arrest last month, characterizing it as disrespectful to a prominent religious figure.
The investigation focuses on the alleged connections between the Unification Church and Kim Keon Hee, who was arrested and charged in August with bribery and related offenses. This connection has become a key element in ongoing special investigations into the conduct of Yoon’s presidency.
According to investigators, led by special prosecutor Min Joong-ki, Han and her former chief secretary are accused of bribery, violations of political funding laws, embezzlement of church funds, and instructing the destruction of evidence. Specifically, they are alleged to have conspired with another church official to provide luxury goods to Kim Keon Hee on two occasions in July 2022, purportedly in exchange for favorable business treatment.
furthermore, han is suspected of directing the church official to deliver 100 million won (approximately $70,000 USD) to Kweon Seong-dong in January 2022, prior to Yoon’s election in March of that year. Investigators claim the church sought to support Yoon’s presidential campaign by mobilizing its followers and organizational network, with the expectation of future government support for the church’s policies and events.
Kweon Seong-dong, a known supporter of Yoon who was arrested in August and indicted this week for violating political funding laws, has denied receiving funds from the church.
The case unfolds against a backdrop of political turmoil. Yoon Suk Yeol was removed from office in April following a brief imposition of martial law in December,which led to his impeachment. He was re-arrested in July and now faces charges of rebellion and other offenses.
Current President Lee Jae Myung has authorized two additional special prosecutor probes into Yoon, one focusing on the implementation of the martial law decree and another investigating allegations of a cover-up related to the death of a marine during a 2023 flood rescue operation.
Han leads the Unification Church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, founded in 1954 by her husband, Sun Myung Moon. Moon, who proclaimed himself a messiah, built the church into a global movement known for its mass wedding ceremonies, frequently enough uniting couples from diverse national backgrounds, and its extensive business holdings.
