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Miami Herald
5 days ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Unification Church probe widens; notebook reveals alleged political outreach
SEOUL, July 25 (UPI) -- South Korean prosecutors are expanding their investigation into the Unification Church, citing potential violations of political funding and anti-corruption laws. The inquiry has gained momentum following the emergence of financial records and a handwritten notebook that allegedly documents attempts by Church-affiliated figures to cultivate influence within the country's political establishment. According to the special prosecutor's team, authorities have obtained and are reviewing three years' worth of the Unification Church's internal accounting data, including donation records, expenditures and other financial documents. Prosecutors emphasized that the investigation does not concern religious doctrine or faith, but rather the suspected misuse of religious funds for political purposes. Evidence from former executive's notebook A pivotal piece of evidence surfaced in a report Wednesday by SBS News, which published contents of a notebook allegedly belonging to former senior Unification Church executive Yoon Young-ho. The notebook reportedly contains entries describing a phone call made by Jeon Seong-bae, a self-described spiritual adviser with ties to the Church, directly to then-First Lady Kim Keon-hee. According to SBS, the call -- made in the presence of Yoon and ruling People Power Party lawmakers Kwon Seong-dong and Yoon Han-hong -- included requests for government support of Cambodia-related development projects and other political favors potentially benefiting the Unification Church. Both lawmakers have denied involvement or knowledge of such requests. Prosecutors are investigating whether the outreach reflected a broader strategy by church affiliates to build political access through informal channels. Receipts for luxury items found Separate from the notebook, the special prosecutor's team has reportedly uncovered receipts for high-end luxury items, including a Graff diamond necklace and two Chanel handbags. These receipts were recovered not from Yoon's personal residence, but from inside the Church's Seoul headquarters -- an issue now at the center of a dispute between the Church and its former executive. In a press release, the Unification Church stated that the purchases were made personally by Yoon, who then allegedly funneled the transactions through Church accounts using his wife, who served as a financial director. Church officials claimed they were unaware of the spending and characterized it as a personal deviation. In response, Yoon's side asserted that the documents' presence at Church headquarters indicates institutional involvement, not individual misconduct. "There is no reason for a religious organization's main office to store personal receipts for luxury goods," one legal representative said. Prosecutors, who questioned Yoon for more than 14 hours, are now tracing the flow of funds to determine whether Church finances were used for personal purchases. Signs of political mobilization Prosecutors are also reviewing reports that in 2022, Yoon circulated People Power Party membership application forms to Church members, possibly to consolidate political influence. While not illegal per se, the act raises questions about whether the Unification Church directed members' political activity in a coordinated manner. The investigation has been further bolstered by the acquisition of internal memos and donor records from the past three fiscal years, which could provide evidence of systematic diversion of offerings for political or personal benefit. Prosecutors clarify: Not a case about faith On July 18, Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki issued a public statement underscoring the non-religious focus of the probe. "This is not a probe into beliefs or doctrine," he said. "This is an inquiry into violations of the Political Funds Act, the Anti-Graft Act and related criminal statutes." In response, the Unification Church issued its own statement Thursday, condemning the investigation as "a clear violation of religious freedom." The Church also accused media outlets of defamatory and distorted coverage and warned of potential legal action against journalists and commentators. Historical pattern of deflecting accountability Legal experts and observers point out that this is not the first time the Unification Church has invoked religious liberty in response to mounting scrutiny. In March, a Japanese court ordered the dissolution of the Church's local corporation, concluding that abusive fundraising practices -- including those linked to the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe -- violated the public interest. The court found that the Church had "coercively exploited religious authority" to solicit excessive donations. In the United States, the Church lost a 14-year legal battle over UCI, a nonprofit governed by a board under the chairmanship of Hyun Jin Preston Moon, the third son of the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon. The D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that the case involved questions of religious doctrine and church organization which courts were forbidden to rule on by the religious freedom clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The court, therefore, rejected the Church's power play to assert control over UCI. Looking ahead Prosecutors have already summoned Yoon for questioning and are expected to call other senior Unification Church officials in the coming weeks. The inquiry continues to widen as investigators analyze seized documents, financial ledgers and digital communications. As new allegations emerge, legal analysts note a growing debate in South Korea over how democracies should balance protections for religious freedom with the need to safeguard public accountability -- especially if spiritual institutions operate as political or financial actors cloaked in religious legitimacy. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
UPI
5 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
Unification Church probe widens; notebook reveals alleged political outreach
A notebook allegedly belonging to former senior Unification Church executive Yoon Young-ho reportedly contains entries describing a phone call made by Jeon Seong-bae, a self-described spiritual adviser with ties to the Unification Church, directly to then–First Lady Kim Keon-hee (shown). File Photo by Tolga Akmen/EPA SEOUL, July 25 (UPI) -- South Korean prosecutors are expanding their investigation into the Unification Church, citing potential violations of political funding and anti-corruption laws. The inquiry has gained momentum following the emergence of financial records and a handwritten notebook that allegedly documents attempts by Church-affiliated figures to cultivate influence within the country's political establishment. According to the special prosecutor's team, authorities have obtained and are reviewing three years' worth of the Unification Church's internal accounting data, including donation records, expenditures and other financial documents. Prosecutors emphasized that the investigation does not concern religious doctrine or faith, but rather the suspected misuse of religious funds for political purposes. Evidence from former executive's notebook A pivotal piece of evidence surfaced in a report Wednesday by SBS News, which published contents of a notebook allegedly belonging to former senior Unification Church executive Yoon Young-ho. The notebook reportedly contains entries describing a phone call made by Jeon Seong-bae, a self-described spiritual adviser with ties to the Church, directly to then-First Lady Kim Keon-hee. According to SBS, the call -- made in the presence of Yoon and ruling People Power Party lawmakers Kwon Seong-dong and Yoon Han-hong -- included requests for government support of Cambodia-related development projects and other political favors potentially benefiting the Unification Church. Both lawmakers have denied involvement or knowledge of such requests. Prosecutors are investigating whether the outreach reflected a broader strategy by church affiliates to build political access through informal channels. Receipts for luxury items found Separate from the notebook, the special prosecutor's team has reportedly uncovered receipts for high-end luxury items, including a Graff diamond necklace and two Chanel handbags. These receipts were recovered not from Yoon's personal residence, but from inside the Church's Seoul headquarters -- an issue now at the center of a dispute between the Church and its former executive. In a press release, the Unification Church stated that the purchases were made personally by Yoon, who then allegedly funneled the transactions through Church accounts using his wife, who served as a financial director. Church officials claimed they were unaware of the spending and characterized it as a personal deviation. In response, Yoon's side asserted that the documents' presence at Church headquarters indicates institutional involvement, not individual misconduct. "There is no reason for a religious organization's main office to store personal receipts for luxury goods," one legal representative said. Prosecutors, who questioned Yoon for more than 14 hours, are now tracing the flow of funds to determine whether Church finances were used for personal purchases. Signs of political mobilization Prosecutors are also reviewing reports that in 2022, Yoon circulated People Power Party membership application forms to Church members, possibly to consolidate political influence. While not illegal per se, the act raises questions about whether the Unification Church directed members' political activity in a coordinated manner. The investigation has been further bolstered by the acquisition of internal memos and donor records from the past three fiscal years, which could provide evidence of systematic diversion of offerings for political or personal benefit. Prosecutors clarify: Not a case about faith On July 18, Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki issued a public statement underscoring the non-religious focus of the probe. "This is not a probe into beliefs or doctrine," he said. "This is an inquiry into violations of the Political Funds Act, the Anti-Graft Act and related criminal statutes." In response, the Unification Church issued its own statement Thursday, condemning the investigation as "a clear violation of religious freedom." The Church also accused media outlets of defamatory and distorted coverage and warned of potential legal action against journalists and commentators. Historical pattern of deflecting accountability Legal experts and observers point out that this is not the first time the Unification Church has invoked religious liberty in response to mounting scrutiny. In March, a Japanese court ordered the dissolution of the Church's local corporation, concluding that abusive fundraising practices -- including those linked to the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe -- violated the public interest. The court found that the Church had "coercively exploited religious authority" to solicit excessive donations. In the United States, the Church lost a 14-year legal battle over UCI, a nonprofit governed by a board under the chairmanship of Hyun Jin Preston Moon, the third son of the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon. The D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that the case involved questions of religious doctrine and church organization which courts were forbidden to rule on by the religious freedom clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The court, therefore, rejected the Church's power play to assert control over UCI. Looking ahead Prosecutors have already summoned Yoon for questioning and are expected to call other senior Unification Church officials in the coming weeks. The inquiry continues to widen as investigators analyze seized documents, financial ledgers and digital communications. As new allegations emerge, legal analysts note a growing debate in South Korea over how democracies should balance protections for religious freedom with the need to safeguard public accountability -- especially if spiritual institutions operate as political or financial actors cloaked in religious legitimacy.
UPI
21-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Unification Church leadership investigated for financial crimes, election interference
A global mass wedding organized by South Korea's Unification Church and officiated by religious leader Hak Ja-Han (L), was joined by some 4,000 couples worldwide. File photo by Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA SEOUL, July 21 (UPI) -- South Korea's special prosecutor is intensifying its probe into the Unification Church, focusing on its top leadership over allegations of financial crimes and unlawful political activities. The team led by Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki conducted a second raid Monday at the church's headquarters in Seoul's Yongsan District, during which investigators seized additional internal records and digital data. The operation followed a broader crackdown Friday, when authorities searched more than 10 church-affiliated sites, including the Cheon Jeong Gung palace in Gapyeong and the private residence of former church executive Yoon Young-ho. According to the Hankook Ilbo, the search warrants identified several senior officials as criminal suspects: Hak Ja-Han, the church's current chairwoman; Jung Wonju, executive secretary to Hak and vice president of the Cheon Mu-Won, the church's highest administrative body; and Lee Cheong-woo, director of the Central Administration Office. Jung Wonju has emerged as a central figure in the case, with prosecutors focusing on her behind-the-scenes coordination of operations, reportedly enabled by her close ties to Hak. All three are being investigated for alleged violations of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes, particularly involving brokered bribery and influence peddling. Yoon Young-ho is accused of offering cash and luxury gifts to lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong in return for political favors. Rep. Kweon, a close ally of then-presidential candidate Yoon Suk-yeol, allegedly played a key role in facilitating the candidate's appearance at an event hosted by a Unification Church-affiliated organization on Feb. 13, 2022. Yoon Young-ho served as the co-organizing chair and delivered the opening declaration at the event, raising suspicions that Kweon may have acted as an intermediary between Yoon Young-ho and the Yoon presidential couple. Beyond the financial and political charges lies a deeper theological rift within the church. According to multiple former insiders, a group of church leaders and members who remained faithful to the original teachings and spiritual mission of founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon were systematically expelled by the current leadership. These reformers opposed what they described as opportunistic reinterpretations of Rev. Moon's core teachings -- altered, they argue, to legitimize the centralization of power and the silencing of dissent, while elevating Hak to a quasi-divine status. Prosecutors are now examining three years of financial records and digital evidence seized during the raids, seeking to trace suspicious financial flows and uncover evidence of systemic wrongdoing. Analysts say the outcome of the investigation may determine not only the legal future of the Unification Church, but also its spiritual legitimacy in the eyes of its followers and the public.
