Formal trial to begin Dec. 1 for Unification Church leader over alleged bribery linked to ex-first lady
Han Hak-ja, leader of the Unification Church, leaves the Seoul Central District Court, Sept. 22, after attending a hearing on the legality of her arrest over charges of bribery linked to former first lady Kim Keon Hee. Korea Times photo by Park Si-mon
The formal trial for Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja, who is accused of alleged bribery linked to the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, will begin early next month, a court said Friday.
The first hearing will take place on Dec. 1, the bench overseeing the trial at the Seoul Central District Court said during the second preparatory hearing held earlier in the day.
During the first hearing, the court plans to question a former church official surnamed Yun who was indicted along with Han.
A hearing on Han's request for bail is also scheduled for the same day.
Han was indicted by a special counsel team in October on charges of violating the Political Funds Act and the anti-graft law, among other offenses.
Han is suspected of involvement in gifting a luxury necklace and Chanel bags to Yoon's wife, Kim Keon Hee, while requesting favors, embezzling the church's money to purchase the gifts and ordering the destruction of evidence ahead of a police investigation into her alleged overseas gambling.
She is also accused of colluding with Yun to hand 100 million won ($69,700) to People Power Party Rep. Kweon Seong-dong in January 2022 in exchange for his help in gaining favors for the church in the event of Yoon's election as president. Yoon went on to win the election in March that year.
Han, who was granted temporary release from detention earlier this month to undergo eye surgery, filed for bail last week after the Seoul court rejected her request for an extension.