A police officer involved in investigating allegations of illicit gambling by Han Hak-ja, the leader of the Unification Church, testified in court that a report detailing the findings was also sent to the office of President Yoon Suk-yeol, but was not formally assigned as a case for investigation. The testimony, delivered on Monday during a hearing concerning separate charges of political funding violations against Han, raises questions about the handling of sensitive information involving the controversial religious leader.
The officer, identified as ‘G,’ told the Seoul Central District Court that he compiled the intelligence report between May and July of 2022, after receiving multiple tips from insiders within the Unification Church regarding Han’s alleged misconduct. According to the testimony, the report detailed claims that Han and other church leaders allegedly embezzled funds from the organization to finance illegal gambling trips to Las Vegas between 2008 and 2011, reportedly totaling 600 billion won (approximately $450 million USD at current exchange rates). The report was flagged with a “별보” (byeolbo) designation, a marker indicating it had been forwarded to the presidential office.
Despite the report reaching the President’s office, ‘G’ stated that the police leadership decided not to open a formal investigation, citing a lack of sufficient evidence. The report was instead “kept on file.” This decision occurred even as a preliminary investigation had been launched by the Chuncheon Police in June 2022, following initial reports of the alleged illegal activity.
The allegations resurfaced last July following a raid by a special investigation team led by Park Min-jong, who was appointed to investigate potential connections between the Yoon administration and the Unification Church. The investigation stemmed from concerns over the church’s alleged undue influence on political affairs. According to reports, Kwon Seong-dong, a member of the People Power Party, allegedly contacted former Unification Church official Yoon Young-ho in October 2022, inquiring about Han’s gambling activities and referencing a leaked police report detailing the investigation.
Following the revelation of the leaked information, the Police Agency initiated an internal investigation into the potential breach of confidentiality within the Chuncheon Police force in November 2022.
Han Hak-ja is currently facing charges related to political funding violations, accused of directing funds to support political candidates. She had previously sought to have the proceedings suspended due to health concerns, a request that was initially granted but later denied, leading to her return to a detention facility. She has also filed a request for release on bail, with a hearing date yet to be scheduled.
