Police book ex-oceans minister over alleged money from Unification Church

Former Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo / Yonhap

Police have booked former Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo and two former lawmakers on suspicions of taking illegal money and other gifts from the Unification Church, sources said Friday.

A dedicated investigation team at the National Police Agency booked Chun, former ruling Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lim Jong-seong and former United Future Party lawmaker Kim Gyu-hwan on Thursday following an internal probe into the allegations, according to the sources.

The three were booked as suspects and face charges of bribery or violating the Political Funds Act. All three have also been banned from leaving the country.

Chun resigned as oceans minister on Thursday after a former church official named him and four others as previously undisclosed recipients of money from the church.

Chun, Lim and Kim have all denied wrongdoing.

People Power Party Rep. Na Kyung-won and Unification Minister Chung Dong-young — the other two people named — have not been booked.