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Police summon former oceans minister over Unification Church bribery allegations

Published: 18 Dec. 2025, 19:20

Jeong Won-ju, a former chief of staff to Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja, left, is seen at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on Dec. 18. [YONHAP]

The National Office of Investigation’s (NOI) special task force under the National Police Agency on Thursday summoned Rep. Chun Jae-soo of the Democratic Party (DP) to appear for questioning on Friday as they widened an investigation into allegations that the Unification Church funneled cash and luxury items to politicians to lobby for an undersea tunnel project between Korea and Japan.

Chun, a former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, is accused of receiving tens of millions of won in cash and valuables from Yun Young-ho, former director of the Unification Church’s global headquarters, in connection with lobbying for the undersea tunnel.

If Chun appears, he would be the first of three current and former lawmakers named by the church official to be questioned. The others are Lim Jong-seong, a former DP lawmaker, and Kim Gyu-hwan, a former lawmaker from the conservative United Future Party.

Investigators also questioned Jeong Won-ju, a former chief of staff to Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja, as a reference witness on Thursday. Jeong is known to be a close aide to Han.

Jeong is also standing trial alongside Han in a separate case prosecuted by the special counsel led by prosecutor Min Joong-ki, which involves allegations that they provided illegal political funds to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party (PPP) and the party’s regional chapters.

The Unification Church’s main compound, Cheon Jeong Gung, in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi, is seen on Dec. 15. [NEWS1]

Arriving at the National Police Agency in Seodaemun District, western Seoul, on Thursday morning, Jeong declined to answer reporters' questions about whether money had been delivered to politicians or whether Han had ordered such payments.

Through Jeong’s testimony, the NOI hopes to confirm allegations that the Unification Church provided cash and expensive watches worth tens of millions of won to Chun, Lim and Kim between 2018 and 2020.

Investigators are also looking into whether Han ordered or was informed of the alleged illicit payments.

Police also made a second raid Thursday on the Unification Church’s main compound, Cheon Jeong Gung, in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi, in an attempt to obtain materials relevant to the case through voluntary submission.

Members of the press are seen in front of the Unification Church’s main compound, Cheon Jeong Gung, in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi, as police conduct a raid on the compound, on Dec. 15. [NEWS1]

On Monday, police had raided 10 locations, including Cheon Jeong Gung, the Unification Church’s Seoul headquarters in Yongsan District, and the detention cells of Han and Youn, securing documents related to political donations.

Meanwhile, former lawmaker Lim told reporters outside the Seoul High Court on Thursday that he “never received any watches or cash,” adding, “I don’t even wear watches.”

Lim was attending a hearing in a separate case in which he was charged with violating the Political Parties Act over allegations he received envelopes of cash during the DP convention in 2021. Lim, along with Rep. Heo Jong-sik of the DP and former DP Rep. Youn Kwan-suk, was acquitted in the appeals trial, overturning the lower court’s ruling.

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 IM SOUNG-BIN [[email protected]]