Court set to rule on Unification Church leader's bribery case involving ex-first lady

A Seoul district court was set to rule Monday on Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja's bribery case that includes charges of giving luxury gifts to the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The Seoul Central District Court is scheduled to hand down its verdict at 2:10 p.m. over allegations that Han gave a luxury necklace and a Chanel bag to then first lady Kim Keon Hee while requesting favors for the church via an intermediary in July 2022.

Special counsel Min Joong-ki's team has sought a 13-year prison term for the 83-year-old, arguing the case constituted a direct violation of the constitutional spirit of separation of religion and politics.

Han's other charges include colluding with former church officials to hand 100 million won ($66,400) to then Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) in January 2022.

Min's team alleged Han sought Kweon's help in gaining favors for the church in the event of Yoon's election as president in March that year. Yoon, then a candidate of the PPP, went on to win the election.

The Supreme Court in July upheld a two-year prison term for Kweon after finding him guilty of accepting the illegal funds from the church, stripping him of his parliamentary seat.

Lawmakers lose their seats in the National Assembly if they are sentenced to a fine of 1 million won or heavier punishment for violating the Political Funds Act.

The special counsel team has also sought prison terms for others indicted in Han's case, including a 10-year sentence for a former aide to Han and a 3-and-a-half-year term for Yun Young-ho, a former head of the church's global headquarters.

Han has denied the allegations during her trial, accusing former church official Yun of acting on his own.

Yonhap