ED Lee’s questionable case for Unification Church dissolution
President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul. Yonhap
President should stop risking his reputation
President Lee Jae Myung again called for the dissolution of the Unification Church, citing what he described as violations of the constitutional separation of religion and politics, and claiming the group had acted illegally.
During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Lee directly asked Cho Won-chul, minister of government legislation, whether the ministry had followed up on his earlier instruction to review the dissolution of certain religious organizations.
Cho replied that the ministry had carried out the review and submitted a report to the presidential office summarizing its findings. He remained cautious about elaborating further, as the session was being live-streamed.
Lee pressed Cho to state the ministry’s conclusion, saying the minister could simply answer “yes” or “no.” Cho responded that, under Article 38 of the Civil Act, a court may order the dissolution of a religious organization if it has been persistently and systematically engaged in significant illegal activities. “It remains to be seen whether the illicit activities conducted by a particular religious group meet the specific legal standards for dissolution,” he added.
Lee argued that any organization — religious or otherwise — should face dissolution if it engages in acts that violate the Constitution or other laws, noting that individual citizens who commit crimes are subject to punishment and the same principle should apply to religious groups.
This is the second time Lee has raised the issue of dissolving religious organizations. On Dec. 2, without naming a specific group, he remarked that a certain religious organization had been systematically interfering in politics, and added that he had been informed that the group had eventually been dissolved in Japan.
While Lee did not name the group explicitly, the context made it clear he was referring to the Unification Church.
Lee’s call for the church’s dissolution appears questionable, even unreasonable.
Lee cited the separation of politics and religion as the main reason for seeking dissolution, saying the church had attempted to influence the political process through what he described as corrupt ties with the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), which had been the ruling party prior to Lee’s victory in the June 3 snap election.
However, recent developments in the special counsel’s investigation into the Unification Church suggest that the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) may also have ties to the group, as some of its politicians are alleged to have received money from it.
Yun Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church’s global headquarters, reportedly testified that the church had approached individuals in the Lee camp during the 2022 presidential election. He claimed that two DPK lawmakers received money from the church, and that one of them is still in office.
The incumbent DPK lawmaker in question is rumored to be Rep. Chun Jae-soo, who also serves as minister of oceans and fisheries. According to Yun’s testimony, Chun is alleged to have received two luxury watches along with 40 million won ($27,229) in cash from the church between 2018 and 2020.
Chun has denied all allegations. In a social media post, he asserted that he had “not received even a penny from anybody,” including the Unification Church or other religious groups, and claimed that the media reports concerning him were fabricated. He also threatened legal action against what he described as “fraudulent media reports” and malicious allegations.
In a democracy, interest groups — including religious organizations — often seek to build networks with political actors. This is particularly common in Korea, where the legislative branch has grown more powerful, especially after the DPK’s sweeping victory in the 2024 National Assembly elections.
However, at present there is no convincing evidence that the church has effectively influenced political affairs through its relationships with influential politicians. Moreover, emerging evidence from Yoon’s testimony points to not only the PPP but also the DPK having questionable ties with the church. As a result, Lee’s argument that the Unification Church should be dissolved because of its alleged attempts to interfere in politics through the PPP has been weakened.
The dissolution of a religious organization is an extreme measure that should only be taken when the harm it poses is both demonstrable and severe. Such action also requires a broad public consensus. Whether the Unification Church’s alleged political ties meet the threshold for dissolution remains unclear. There are risks if Lee continues to pursue this course. His actions could be seen as repressing religious groups or conducting a political purge, which could ultimately damage his reputation.