Unification Church bribery scandal rocks Lee gov’t

Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Chun Jae-soo, center, responds to questions from reporters at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

The Unification Church's alleged bribery of ruling bloc figures is hitting the Lee Jae Myung administration, with one minister resigning over his alleged money acceptance from the religious organization and several other top officials also under similar suspicion.

It is feared that the scandal will further shake the administration if more ministers and officials fall under suspicion. It could also extend to influencing the ruling bloc’s strategies and nominations for next June’s local elections.

Oceans and Fisheries Minister Chun Jae-soo submitted his resignation early Thursday, amid allegations that he received between 30 million won ($20,377) to 40 million won in cash and two luxury watches from an official of the Unification Church, which sought his influence in its project to build an undersea tunnel connecting Korea and Japan.

Chun denied the allegations, and acknowledged concerns that his resignation might be misconstrued as an admission of guilt. He added that he was stepping down to demonstrate his resolve and take responsibility, while also wishing to avoid placing further strain on the president.

“I never engaged in any illegal exchange of money,” he told reporters at Incheon International Airport as he returned to Korea after a meeting at the United Nations in New York.

“As a public official, I believe it is right to step down and respond to the investigation with dignity,” he said. “The allegations involving me are absurd and completely baseless. But because the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Lee administration must not be shaken, I decided it is appropriate to leave my post."

President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a briefing by the Ministry of Economy and Finance at the Government Sejong Convention Center in Sejong, Thursday. Joint Press Corps

The presidential office issued a brief statement later in the day, saying Lee accepted Chun's resignation and that it would proceed according to protocol. It marked the first resignation of a minister since the launch of the Lee administration in June.

Earlier this week, the president ordered authorities to conduct a “thorough and impartial investigation” into any illegal political ties with the controversial church, regardless of party or rank — a directive observers say contributed to Chun’s decision to resign.

The controversy stems from testimony obtained by a special counsel team during an investigation into Yun Young-ho, the former head of the Unification Church’s world headquarters, who was indicted and detained on charges that included delivering a Chanel handbag and an expensive necklace to former first lady Kim Keon Hee.

Yun reportedly told investigators that the church had provided financial support to politicians across both major parties.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young speaks to reporters as he enters Government Complex Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young was another figure implicated in Yun's claim. Chung issued a sharply worded statement, Thursday, vehemently rejecting media reports connecting him to the ongoing bribery scandal.

The unification minister said he only had a single, brief encounter with Yun for approximately 10 minutes in September 2021 during a casual stop at the Unification Church's headquarters. He said their conversation was about unification issues.

The minister also claimed that he had no further contact with Yun and has never met the church's leader, Han Hak-ja.

“In my 30 years in politics, my name has never once been associated with any case involving money,” the minister said. “I view this as a point of personal pride, and I will pursue civil and criminal action against the media outlets that damaged my reputation with baseless claims.”

It was also alleged that National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director Lee Jong-seok received money from Yun. But he also denied the allegations, saying some Unification Church officials, including Yun, asked for a meeting to discuss North Korea issues in 2022, so he met them once at his office and has not met them since. Besides him, several former and incumbent lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) are also implicated in the scandal.

People Power Party lawmakers and officials stand in front of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seoul, Thursday, before filing complaints against Oceans and Fisheries Minister Chun Jae-soo and several current and former Democratic Party of Korea lawmakers. They accuse them of dereliction of duty, violations of the Political Funds Act and bribery in connection with the Unification Church bribery allegations. Yonhap

The scandal is sending shockwaves throughout the ruling bloc, causing fear that it would negatively affect the Lee government's state affairs and next year's elections. Chun had been a strong potential contender for the Busan mayor position.

The main opposition People Power Party (PPP) seized on the widening controversy and labeled it “Unification Church-gate.” Until the recent allegations about the ministers, the PPP itself had been under suspicion for illegal ties with the church tied to one of its lawmakers and the former first lady.

The PPP filed police complaints against the oceans and fisheries minister as well as several current and former DPK lawmakers, alleging violations of the Political Funds Act and the acceptance of bribes.

“This is not a case that ends with one minister’s misconduct. The emerging evidence points to a deeply troubling and inappropriate relationship between the Lee administration and the Unification Church," Rep. Song Eon-seog, floor leader of the PPP, said during a party meeting.

Police are currently reviewing the case and arranging questioning schedules for some of the figures involved. Violation of the Political Funds Act carries a seven-year statute of limitations, meaning alleged payments made in 2018 would reach their deadline at the end of this year. However, if bribery charges are pursued instead, the statute of limitations could extend up to 15 years.