Prosecutors expand shaman probe to ex-director of Unification Church over bribery allegations

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Prosecutors expand shaman probe to ex-director of Unification Church over bribery allegations

Published: 04 May. 2025, 19:36 Updated: 05 May. 2025, 16:26

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

A man surnamed Yoon, a former director-general of the Unification Church, gives a speech while displaying a photo of former President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee seated at a dinner for African ambassadors in November 2022 during the opening ceremony of the Peace Summit 2023 held at Lotte Hotel World in Songpa District, southern Seoul, in 2023. [JOONGANG PHOTO]

Prosecutors investigating allegations that shaman Jeon Seong-bae, known as “Geon Jin,” made illicit requests to former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee are expanding their investigation to focus on a man surnamed Yoon, a former director-general of the Unification Church, and his wife, who are believed to have sought favors for major projects within and outside the church.

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office summoned Jeon on Saturday for questioning as a suspect on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, according to the prosecution and other sources on Sunday.

This came just three days after prosecutors raided Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence in the Acrovista apartment complex, the former office of Covana Contents operated by Kim, and the homes of two former aides.

Jeon is accused of receiving luxury gifts — a Chanel handbag, “Cheonsusam” ginseng concentrate tea from Unification Church affiliate Ilhwa and a diamond necklace from British luxury jeweler Graff — from the former director-general of the Unification Church world headquarters and former vice president of Sun Moon University, and delivering them to Kim between April and August 2022.

Prosecutors are reportedly focusing their questioning on how Jeon received these gifts from the former director-general and his wife, whether they were actually delivered to Kim, and if so, when and how.

According to a comprehensive report by the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, Yoon is suspected of having sent a luxury handbag to the first lady through Jeon between April and June 2022, around the time of Yoon Suk Yeol’s election and inauguration as president.

The “Cheonsusam” ginseng concentrate tea from Unification Church affiliate Ilhwa [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Although some say the bag was simply a gesture of courtesy, prosecutors believe it was part of a request to support Unification Church interests — such as the Cambodian official development assistance (ODA) project and efforts to attract the United Nation's fifth secretariat office.

Following this, on June 13, 2022, the Ministry of Economy and Finance held a comprehensive ODA policy meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and decided to increase its Economic Development Cooperation Fund allocation from the $7 billion budgeted from 2016 to2023) to $15 billion from 2022 to 2026.

Prosecutors believe Yoon also gave Jeon the ginseng concentrate tea as a gift to the former first couple. This premium tea, which has received multiple awards from the Brussels-based Monde Selection, is expensive and sold only overseas.

The Graff diamond necklace, reportedly worth around 60 million won ($43,060), is believed to have been handed to Jeon after the former president and first lady returned from a NATO summit on June 30, 2022. Kim was criticized in August of the same year for wearing high-end jewelry — a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace and Graff earrings — during the NATO trip.

At that time, the church director allegedly said, “Why is the first lady borrowing a necklace?” and asked Jeon to deliver a Graff necklace to her as a gift.

Former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee greet supporters as they leave the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, central Seoul, and head to their private home in Seocho-dong in southern Seoul on April 11. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

On April 25 of this year, prosecutors summoned a senior Unification Church official who worked with director-general Yoon for questioning regarding suspected lobbying over the acquisition of broadcaster YTN.

Coincidentally, on Oct. 11, 2022 — around the time the necklace was allegedly gifted — the Yoon administration officially moved to sell public shares in YTN. There are also suspicions that the church director-general sought to build ties not only with the presidential couple through Jeon but also with so-called “pro-Yoon Suk Yeol lawmakers” in the National Assembly.

During a National Assembly audit at the time, a ruling party lawmaker commented, “There’s a perception that when a public corporation owns YTN shares, it reduces efficiency and asset value, which leads to undervalued stock.”

In response, the president of Kepco KDN replied, “We will push for the sale of shares,” bringing the administration’s plans to the surface.

The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office, which is investigating the relations between shaman Jeon Seong-bae and a man surnamed Yoon, a former director-general of the Unification Church, and his wife, who are believed to have sought favors for major projects within and outside the church [JOONGANG PHOTO]

“There were many cases where broadcasters could not withstand complaints from existing Christian communities when trying to broadcast internal and external events of the church on terrestrial and general broadcasting channels, and the broadcasters ended up canceling the broadcasts,” said a source familiar with internal Unification Church matters. “There was public opinion that it would be better to acquire the broadcasting station.”

Prosecutors have also named Yoon’s wife, surnamed Lee, who served as director of finance at the world headquarters of the Unification Church, as a suspect under the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. She previously handled accounting and finances at the church’s predecessor, the World Mission Headquarters, for over a decade and is believed to know the source of the funds used for the gifts.

Lee is also believed to have exchanged messages with Jeon regarding "prayer fees." Jeon previously told prosecutors that he received two payments of 5 million won each from Yoon under the guise of a consulting fee. Jeon and Yoon reportedly communicated 336 times between December 2023 and December last year, appearing to maintain a particularly close relationship.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY SON SUNG-BAE,LEE CHAN-KYU [[email protected]]