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A swift, impartial Unification Church special counsel

Published: 23 Dec. 2025, 00:00

Jung Chung-rae, left, leader of the Democratic Party, and Kim Byung-kee, the party’s floor leader, confer during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Dec. 22. [YONHAP]

With the Democratic Party (DP) abruptly accepting the opposition’s long-rejected demand for a special counsel to investigate the Unification Church, Korean politics is once again entering a special prosecutor phase. DP leader Jung Chung-rae reversed the party’s position at a leadership meeting, saying there was “no reason not to accept it.” The People Power Party (PPP) and the presidential office immediately welcomed the shift, accelerating discussions on drafting a special counsel bill.

The DP’s change of stance came just after the PPP and the Rebuilding Korea Party agreed on a third-party recommendation method for selecting the special prosecutor. It appears that, after weighing their respective interests, the parties found a point of convergence. The DP said they were willing to “clearly uncover the truth, including any PPP figures involved,” while the People Power Party warned that “the public will not tolerate a special counsel used solely to pressure the opposition.” Both sides are clearly jockeying for control of the investigation’s steering wheel.

Setting aside partisan calculations, the decision to pursue fact-finding through a Unification Church special counsel is appropriate. Allegations of political interference by a religious organization and identifying those involved are issues the public has long demanded be addressed. According to a recent Gallup Korea poll, 62 percent of respondents said a special counsel is necessary. Even among DP supporters, 67 percent were in favor, a factor that likely weighed heavily on the party leadership’s reversal.

Existing investigations have revealed their limits. It has emerged that Kim Keon Hee received a diamond necklace and a luxury handbag from figures linked to the Unification Church. Allegations followed that PPP Rep. Kweon Seong-dong accepted 100 million won ($68,000) in illegal political funds. Testimony later surfaced that a Unification Church official also delivered tens of millions of won and a luxury watch to DP Rep. Chun Jae-soo, expanding suspicions to both current and former DP figures.

The Min Joong-ki special counsel team that reviewed some of these statements was accused of delaying the investigation, allowing statutes of limitations to approach expiration. While police investigations are now underway, they face inherent constraints in handling a case so deeply entangled with the interests of both major parties.

President Lee Jae Myung has reiterated a general principle that the probe should be conducted strictly regardless of party affiliation or rank. However, he previously drew controversy by stating that political involvement by religious groups violates the constitutional principle of church-state separation, prompting concerns about perceived interference.

Although both parties have now chosen a special counsel as the solution, the legislative process and appointment phase still carry a high risk of political dilution. The DP appears poised to link the Unification Church probe to a broader second round of special investigations. Both camps are also unlikely to abandon calculations tied to next year’s local elections.

For a public weary of an endless relay of special prosecutors, what matters most is credibility. Swift and impartial fact-finding, insulated from political strategy, is essential if this investigation is to earn public trust.

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.