Latest news with #UnificationChurch
UPI
5 hours ago
- Politics
- UPI
Unification Church's No. 2 executive draws scrutiny over bribery allegations
July 15 (UPI) -- As South Korea's special prosecutor's office expands its investigation into the Unification Church's alleged political lobbying and financial misconduct, rising attention is turning to Won-joo Jung, deputy director of the Cheonmu Institute -- the church's top administrative body. According to a report by The Hankyoreh, Jung is widely recognized as the de facto second-in-command, operating directly under church head Hak-ja Han. In a notarized letter to church authorities, Young-ho Yoon, the former director-general of the church's World Headquarters and now under investigation, named Jung in connection with the delivery of luxury gifts -- including Chanel handbags and a Graff diamond necklace -- to former First Lady Keon-hee Kim, wife of the recently impeached former President of South Korea Suk-yeol Yoon. The gifts allegedly were funneled through Seong-bae Jeon, a spiritual figure known publicly as "Geonjin Beopsa." Yoon claimed to submit internal records linking Jung to the operation and requested that she face equivalent disciplinary action. His statement challenges the official church narrative that the gift transfer was merely an isolated case of individual misconduct. The Hankyoreh reported that Jung, as deputy director of the Cheonmu Institute, is considered internally to be "the effective No. 2 figure in the church hierarchy," suggesting she wields considerable influence over the organization's strategy and finances. Although subject to a travel restriction, Jung was granted permission to leave South Korea to visit her critically ill husband in the United States. It appears she has not yet returned from the United States to South Korea. Meanwhile, in South Korea, there is ongoing investigation and growing public demands for accountability. Her prolonged absence amid escalating legal exposure has led to speculation that she may be avoiding potential legal consequences. While she has not yet been formally indicted, prosecutors are believed to be examining her role in key decision-making processes and internal coordination, including allegations of document destruction tied to ongoing investigations. Public scrutiny of Jung has intensified due to her close connections to major media outlets affiliated with the Unification Church. Her younger brother, Hee-taek Jung, is currently the president of Segye Ilbo (Segye Times), a South Korean daily owned by the church's media arm. Jung's husband's younger brother is Tom McDevitt, the current chairman of The Washington Times, the U.S. newspaper funded by the church. These family ties have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of internal media networks in shaping narratives surrounding the ongoing investigation. Prosecutors have already executed search and seizure operations at the National Police Agency and Chuncheon Police Station on July 8, targeting communications and financial records tied to earlier church-related investigations. While no formal indictments have been announced against Jung, Special Prosecutor Sang-jin Park confirmed -- according to a DongA Ilbo report on July 8 -- that his office is preparing to summon senior Unification Church figures, including Won-joo Jung and former World Headquarters director Young-ho Yoon, for questioning as part of its expanding investigation into alleged bribery, embezzlement, and obstruction of justice. Though Hak-ja Han remains the public face of the Unification Church, insiders and former members describe Jung as a behind-the-scenes operator with sweeping authority over the church's administration, finances, and crisis management. She has reportedly been involved in overseeing responses to allegations involving the misuse of church funds -- some of which were allegedly spent on gambling trips in Las Vegas. Her high-level authority, absence abroad, and looming summons suggest she may be a pivotal figure in unraveling the deeper structure of influence within the church's leadership.
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
South Korea: Special counsel raids shaman linked to ex-first lady Kim
Seoul: Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki's team investigating various allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee on Tuesday raided the office of a controversial shaman linked to her alleged acceptance of luxury gifts from a religious group three years ago. The team sent prosecutors and investigators to the office of shaman Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin, in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, in the morning to secure documents and computer files related to his suspected delivery of gifts to Kim. Jeon is suspected of receiving a diamond necklace and an expensive bag from a high-ranking Unification Church official between April and August of 2022, soon after Yoon Suk Yeol's election as president in March of the same year, and delivering the gifts to Kim, Yonhap news agency reported. The church official reportedly demanded some business favors from the Yoon government in return for the alleged gifts. Jeon has said he received the gifts but lost them all. The special counsel team has been investigating 16 criminal allegations against the former first lady, including her alleged role in stock price manipulation schemes and her alleged meddling in election nominations. Assistant Special Prosecutor Moon Hong-ju told reporters the team has filed for a warrant to detain Kim Ye-seong, a close acquaintance of the former first lady who it believes fled to Vietnam in April. "We take it that neither Kim nor his wife has any intention to return home voluntarily and appear (for questioning) as they have not reached out to the special counsel," Moon said. In the event a warrant is issued, Moon said the team will take steps to invalidate his passport. Kim Ye-seong, who is often dubbed the butler of the former first lady's family, is suspected of receiving 18 billion won ($13.1 million) in dubious investments from several companies through his rental car company IMS in 2023. --IANS int/bpd/rs
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Shaman's office searched over alleged gifts for Kim Keon Hee
Special counsel expands investigation into ex-first lady's corruption ties with shaman A special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki to look into allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee carried out a search and seizure operation on Tuesday at the office of the shaman Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin, in Gangnam, southern Seoul, as part of an investigation into suspected corruption ties. The special counsel team reportedly dispatched prosecutors and investigators to secure evidence, including documents and digital data, related to Jeon's alleged violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and his alleged connection to Kim. Tuesday's raid by the special counsel is also seen as a continuation of the prosecution's past efforts to look into luxury handbags linked to accusations of bribery against Kim. The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office previously investigated the shaman and a high-ranking Unification Church official, surnamed Yoon, who reportedly claimed that he gave a diamond necklace estimated to be worth 60 million won ($43,000) and luxury handbags of unknown value to Jeon, allegedly as a gift for the former first lady after Yoon Suk Yeol won the presidential election in 2022. The church official is suspected of lobbying the former presidential couple through Jeon in order to gain support for projects in the church's interests, including business operations in Cambodia. Two Chanel handbags were reportedly delivered to Kim's former aide Yoo Kyung-ok, who tried to exchange the handbags for models that would better appeal to young people on Jeon's advice. The first lady's attorneys have admitted that Yoo received the Chanel bags due to the shaman's insistence. But they say that Kim never received them, denying the former first lady had any connection to the matter. Jeon also testified in the prosecution's investigation in May that the luxury bags that were handed over to Yoo were not delivered to Kim. But the shaman claimed he lost the bags after retrieving them from Yoo. Jeon, who served in a lesser leadership role on Yoon's campaign team during the 2022 presidential election and is believed to have been involved in decision-making, has also been accused of flaunting personal connections with the former presidential couple to influence business interests in the past. The Unification Church official surnamed Yoon was one of those who sent Jeon a bundle of cash — amounting to 30 million won — under the pretext of a 'prayer fee.' The special counsel is expected to look into the nature of the relationship between Jeon and the former first lady after analyzing the items collected in Tuesday's search and seizure.
Korea Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Special counsel raids shaman linked to ex-first lady Kim
Special Prosecutor Min Joong-ki's team investigating various allegations involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee on Tuesday raided the office of a controversial shaman linked to her alleged acceptance of luxury gifts from a religious group three years ago. The team sent prosecutors and investigators to the office of shaman Jeon Seong-bae, also known as Geon Jin, in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, in the morning to secure documents and computer files related to his suspected delivery of gifts to Kim. Jeon is suspected of receiving a diamond necklace and an expensive bag from a high-ranking Unification Church official between April and August of 2022, soon after Yoon Suk Yeol's election as president in March of the same year, and delivering the gifts to Kim. The church official reportedly demanded some business favors from the Yoon government in return for the alleged gifts. Jeon has said he received the gifts but lost them all. (Yonhap)
Miami Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Special prosecutor begins probe into Unification Church executives
SEOUL, July 9 (UPI) -- South Korea's special prosecutor has formally designated Hak‑ja Han, head of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, popularly known as the Unification Church, as a criminal suspect. The office is extending its investigation to include allegations of bribery via a religious intermediary, embezzlement of church funds for casino gambling and interference in law enforcement. Prosecutors allege that luxury goods -- including designer handbags and diamond jewelry -- were acquired to be given to the former First Lady Keon‑hee Kim, wife of the recently impeached former President Suk-yeol Yoon. The items had been transferred through Seong‑bae Jeon, known as "Geonjin Beopsa," a spiritual adviser to the church. Investigators are working to establish whether directives came from senior church officials and if funds were misused for political influence. The special prosecutor's office has announced that summonses will be issued soon to several senior Unification Church executives. Among those investigators are set to question Young‑ho Yoon, former director-general of the church's world headquarters; Young-ho Yoon's wife, previously a leading figure in church finances; Won‑joo Jung, deputy director at the church's central Cheonmu Institute. To date, no such individuals have been taken into custody or formally interviewed, but prosecutors have confirmed plans to bring them in for questioning as part of the unfolding inquiry. A travel ban had been placed on all three. Won-joo Jung had been granted permission last month to visit her critically ill husband. However, to date, she has not yet returned to Korea. Financial audit teams uncovered records indicating that church donations -- totaling tens of billions of Korean won -- were allegedly used for gambling at Las Vegas casinos, dating from 2008 through earlier this year. Investigators traced rewards‑club reports reflecting substantial bets and gaming sessions attributed to church figures. Prosecutors are also probing whether the church attempted to obstruct a separate police investigation into this gambling activity. Authorities executed search and seizure operations July 8, seeking internal communications that could demonstrate exertion of political pressure or bribery to obstruct the earlier inquiry. This probe spans multiple suspected criminal offenses: illicit transfer of luxury goods as political bribes, embezzlement of church funds for gambling, obstruction of justice through interference with police investigations, and potential collusion involving religious leaders, former police officials and political intermediaries. The formal opening of a criminal case into Hak‑ja Han marks a pivotal escalation in this investigation. As summonses to key church figures draw closer and forensic evidence continues to accumulate, questions are mounting about the church's financial and political entanglements. This case has generated intense interest in the Korea media over past several months. It represents one of the most high-stakes probes into religious-political influence in South Korea, raising significant questions about institutional transparency and accountability. Earlier this year, the Tokyo District Court issued an order for the dissolution of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification in Japan -- formerly called Unification Church Japan. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
