Jung Min-ho has worked as a staff writer at The Korea Times since 2012, mostly covering social and political issues. He currently belongs to the Politics & City Desk where he covers topics such as health, labor and human rights. Prior to joining the team, he was responsible for covering North Korea and sports. His article about a biosecurity breach of Middle East respiratory syndrome won him an award from the Korea Science Journalists Association in 2016. He is also the co-author of the book, "Medical Pioneers of Korea" (2019). He served as the head of the international relations committee at the Journalists Association of Korea from 2021 to 2023.
Court upholds license revocation for group that falsely claimed UN ties
The Seoul High Court building is seen in this Feb. 23 photo. The court has upheld a decision to revoke the legal status of a local organization that masqueraded as a United Nations-affiliated body to solicit billions of won in donations. Yonhap
By Jung Min-ho
A Seoul appeals court has upheld a decision by the National Assembly’s secretary general to revoke the legal status of a local organization that masqueraded as a United Nations-affiliated body to solicit billions of won in donations.
The Seoul High Court recently dismissed an appeal filed by the UN-Habitat Korea Committee against the secretary general, affirming a lower court ruling that rejected the organization’s attempt to overturn the cancellation of its nonprofit corporate status.
From the outset in 2019, the group promoted itself as “the U.N.’s first national committee,” using the U.N. name and emblem in its materials.
In July 2023, however, allegations surfaced that it had never received formal authorization from the U.N. to use its name or logo, yet had raised about 4.4 billion won ($2.92 million) in donations. In November that year, the Assembly revoked the group’s establishment permit.
A court ruled in favor of the Assembly last September. The appeals court likewise found that the committee’s use of the U.N. name and logo to solicit donations constituted grounds for revoking its establishment approval.
“Despite having entered into no agreement with the U.N. as an international organization, it used the U.N. name and logo as though it were an officially approved body and raised large sums in donations over a long period,” the court said. “This amounts to an ‘act harming the public interest,’ which constitutes grounds for revoking its establishment permit.”
The court also noted that an organization’s ties to an international body like the U.N. are a key factor in corporate decisions on whether to donate, as companies presume such groups have proper, formal approval.