Religion-politics probe ends with Shincheonji, Unification Church leaders among 32 indicted

An eight-month investigation into alleged collusion between religious groups and politics concluded Monday with 32 people indicted, including Shincheonji leader Lee Man-hee and Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja.

A total of 16 people affiliated with the Shincheonji Church of Jesus and 16 from the Unification Church were indicted over alleged crimes involving violations of the constitutional principle of separation of religion and state amid the probe led by the joint investigation team. The team began its work on Jan. 6 and concluded its operations Monday.

In the Shincheonji case, investigators looked into allegations of members being pressured to join a particular political party; church-wide tax evasion, including corporate tax evasion; embezzlement of church funds by former general affairs chief Ko Dong-an; and illegal campaigning by members who recruited people to join a particular party in support of a specific candidate ahead of a party primary.

Four people, including Shincheonji leader Lee, were indicted in detention and 12 others were indicted without detention.

Lee was indicted in detention on June 29 on charges of systematically pressuring followers to join a particular political party ahead of the 2022 presidential election, including by assigning membership recruitment quotas to individual branches.

Ko was indicted in detention on July 13 on charges of conspiring with Lee and others to pressure followers to join a political party ahead of the local elections in 2022.

“We confirmed that tens of thousands of Shincheonji followers joined a particular political party en masse between June 2021 and April last year, and that some were pressured to join the party against their will,” the joint investigation team said.

Ko was additionally indicted without detention on Thursday on charges of embezzling about 6 billion won ($4.36 million) in church funds, including by withdrawing cash from Shincheonji's finances under false pretenses and using it at his discretion.

The investigation into the Unification Church covered allegations of illegal political donations, embezzlement of church funds and the receipt of money and valuables.

The Unification Church allegedly used its nationwide network to make illegal political donations to lawmakers and other politicians in an effort to build political support, the investigation team said. Investigators said the donations were aimed at advancing the church's goal of expanding its influence in politics.

Investigators found that the Unification Church illegally donated about 189 million won in organizational funds to 132 politicians, including lawmakers, on 219 occasions between March 2019 and January last year.

Three people accused of leading the scheme were indicted without detention on Aug. 10 for alleged violations of the Political Funds Act. They include former Unification Church World Headquarters chief Yun Young-ho and former International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace President Song Kwang-seok.

Summary orders were sought for six others, including regional leaders who participated in the scheme, after taking into account factors such as the amount of illegal political funds involved and their positions.

Leader Han, chief of staff Jeong Won-joo and Yun were also indicted without detention in connection with the alleged embezzlement of Unification Church funds.

They are accused of siphoning off about 10.5 billion won in church funds from around January 2017 through May last year and hiding the money in a personal safe, including by falsely recording expenditures as financial support for overseas missionaries.

About 26 billion won in cash kept in the safe was seized, with procedures underway to preserve the assets for possible forfeiture.

“We uncovered financial misconduct within religious groups that helped fund illegal political donations, as well as tax evasion by Shincheonji and the misuse of church funds by senior officials for personal gain,” the investigation team said. “The investigation helped hold those responsible accountable and ensure that religious groups are subject to the same tax and legal standards.”

The team also detailed its findings on the Unification Church.

“We also confirmed that the Unification Church siphoned off church funds through false accounting for purposes including illegal political donations, lobbying expenses, preferential gifts for close associates and purchases of personal luxury goods, hiding large amounts of cash in the leader's personal safe and using the money to consolidate the leader's control and expand political influence,” the team said.

The team said the investigation is expected to improve financial transparency among religious groups by uncovering tax evasion and the misuse of church funds for personal gain.

“Prosecutors and police will continue to respond firmly to crimes involving religious organizations that undermine the constitutional principle of separation of religion and state and shake the foundations of democracy,” the team said.

BY CHO MUN-GYU [[email protected]]