U.S. officials meet Korean pastor who led anti-impeachment rallies for Yoon

Senior U.S. State Department officials recently met with a Korean pastor who had led rallies opposing the impeachment of now-jailed former President Yoon Suk Yeol over his failed martial law bid, according to a church Monday.

Riley Barnes, assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor (DRL), and Julie Turner, acting deputy assistant secretary of state for DRL, along with White House faith liaison Belsis Romero, visited Segero Church in Busan on Sunday for a meeting with Senior Pastor Son Hyun-bo.

The church said the visit was arranged after the U.S. side reached out about a month ago, and added that the two sides discussed a broad range of issues in Korea.

According to the church, discussions covered a wide range of issues, including a proposed law on dissolving religious corporations and discussions on a comprehensive anti-discrimination law.

Son also leads Save Korea, a conservative Christian civic group that spearheaded rallies opposing Yoon's impeachment following his failed martial law bid in December of 2024.

The pastor was indicted on charges of conducting illegal election campaigning during last year's presidential election and was sentenced earlier this year to six months in prison, suspended for one year.

Yonhap