Prosecution-police team wraps up probe into political-religious collusion
Lee Man-hee, left, founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, and Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja / Yonhap
A joint prosecution-police team investigating suspected collusion between politics and religion concluded its activities Monday, 237 days after its launch on Jan. 6.
The team achieved notable results, including the arrest and indictment of Lee Man-hee, founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a nonmainstream religious sect, and the seizure of 26 billion won ($18.9 million) in cash from the private safe of Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja.
The team had investigated allegations of Shincheonji coercing its members into joining the People Power Party (PPP), tax evasion and embezzlement of funds, as well as the Unification Church's illegal donation of political funds and embezzlement of church funds.
Consequently, four Shincheonji officials, including Lee, were arrested and indicted, with 12 other officials indicted without detention. Lee and other church officials were accused of forcing church followers to join the PPP with the aim of influencing the results of various elections from 2021 to 2024. During the period, at least 56,472 members joined the PPP.
In connection with the Unification Church, 16 people, including Han, were indicted without detention. Among them, summary orders were sought for six church officials whose involvement in the alleged crimes was deemed relatively minor.
The investigation team suspects that the Unification Church illegally donated a total of 189 million won to 132 politicians from 2019 through last year in an effort to promote closer ties with politics and secure the support of friendly politicians.
Meanwhile, a Seoul district court was set to rule later Monday on Han's bribery case that includes charges of giving luxury gifts to the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.