Police charge ex-oceans minister over alleged money from Unification Church

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Published: 12 Dec. 2025, 14:47

Former Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo [YONHAP]

Police have charged former Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo and two former lawmakers on suspicions of taking illegal money and other gifts from the Unification Church, sources said on Friday.

An investigation team at the National Police Agency charged Chun, former ruling Democratic Party lawmaker Lim Jong-seong and former United Future Party — the predecessor of the People Power Party — lawmaker Kim Gyu-hwan on Thursday, following an internal probe into the allegations, according to the sources.

The three were charged as suspects and face charges of violating the Political Funds Act. All three have also been banned from leaving the country.

Chun resigned from his position on Thursday after a former church official named him and four others as previously undisclosed recipients of money from the church.

Chun, Lim and Kim have all denied wrongdoing.

People Power Party Rep. Na Kyung-won and Unification Minister Chung Dong-young — the other two people named — have not been charged.

Yonhap