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Unification Church Leader Han Hak-ja summoned for second round of questioning

Published: 24 Sep. 2025, 18:19

Left: Han Hak-ja, leader of the Unification Church, officially called the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. Right: Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party [YONHAP]

A special counsel team investigating allegations that former first lady Kim Keon Hee received bribes from the Unification Church summoned church leader Han Hak-ja and People Power Party Rep. Kweon Seong-dong for questioning on Wednesday.

Assistant special counsel Park Sang-jin told reporters the summons were related to a “political funds violation case.” This was the second round of questioning for Han, who was arrested Tuesday. She was first questioned on Sept. 17.

Kweon, who had dismissed an earlier summons on Tuesday by submitting a statement saying he had “sufficiently explained his position,” appeared for questioning after investigators renewed their summons.

The special counsel suspects that Han, working with Yoon Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church's global headquarters, gave Kweon 100 million won ($72,800) in January 2022 in return for Unification Church support from the Yoon Suk Yeol administration.

Investigators said they obtained testimony from Yoon Young-ho claiming he had handed over the cash, along with diary notes reading “one big bill support” — likely a euphemism for 100 million won — and “Kweon Seong-dong lunch.” They also reportedly recovered a photograph of Bank of Korea notes worth 100 million won from the phone of the church official's wife.

Since the alleged donation was in cash, investigators have not confirmed how Kweon may have used the money. They suspect part of it may have gone to then-presidential candidate Yoon’s campaign.

Impeached former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, leave a voting booth in Seocho District, southern Seoul, after casting their ballots for the presidential election on June 3. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

The team also questioned whether Kweon traveled to the church’s headquarters in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi in February or March 2022, where he allegedly bowed before Han and received a shopping bag containing money. Yoon Young-ho previously testified that “orders came from senior leadership, including Han.”

Both Han and Kweon deny all charges.

Han faces additional charges. Prosecutors say she misused church funds to buy Chanel handbags and necklaces, which she then gave to the former first lady in violation of antigraft laws. She is also accused of instructing aides to destroy records of her overseas gambling trips and church spending during a 2022 police probe, amounting to obstruction of justice.

Jeong Won-joo, Han’s former chief of staff, also appeared for questioning on Wednesday afternoon. A court rejected Jeong’s arrest warrant last week, though prosecutors indicted Han.

The special counsel announced Wednesday that it would extend its investigation for 30 more days, citing the need for further questioning and evidence collection. The team said it reported the decision in writing to both the president and the National Assembly. The probe, which began July 2, had been due to expire next Monday but will now run until Oct. 29.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JEON MIN-GOO, CHOI SEO-IN [[email protected]]