Joint task force reopens tax evasion case against Shincheonji Church
Published: 19 Feb. 2026, 16:43
![The Shincheonji Church of Jesus headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, is seen as search and seizure operations are underway on Jan. 30. [NEWS1]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/19/39cf48a6-cec0-4ad7-9c12-dac11c4bfee4.jpg)
The Shincheonji Church of Jesus headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi, is seen as search and seizure operations are underway on Jan. 30. [NEWS1]
A joint prosecution-police task force investigating allegations that religious groups lobbied politicians has reopened a tax evasion case against the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, reviving allegations that were dropped four years ago as part of a broader investigation into suspected lobbying by religious groups.
“We have reopened and are investigating a tax evasion case that the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office decided not to indict in October 2021 after the case was revived and transferred to us,” the task force said Thursday.
Tax authorities previously imposed 12.2 billion won ($8.43 million) in corporate taxes, along with value-added taxes, on Shincheonji for the fiscal years 2012 to 2019, accusing the group of evading taxes by disguising the ownership of stores run by its local churches as sole proprietorships and keeping double books.
Authorities also filed a complaint against Shincheonji Chairman Lee Man-hee on suspicion of tax evasion and related offenses. However, the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office decided not to indict Lee and others in October 2021.
In a separate administrative lawsuit in which Shincheonji sought to overturn the tax authorities’ imposition of corporate and other taxes, the court rejected Shincheonji’s claim, and the Supreme Court finalized the ruling in January.
![Lee Man-hee, founder and leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, holds a news conference at the Shincheonji Peace Palace in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, on March 2, 2020. [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreaseafood.online/data/photo/2026/02/19/208535bc-7513-45c5-962b-dd69602dd049.jpg)
Lee Man-hee, founder and leader of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, holds a news conference at the Shincheonji Peace Palace in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi, on March 2, 2020. [JOONGANG ILBO]
With the court having found the tax assessment valid, the task force decided to reopen the earlier case and reexamine the issues.
The task force is also reportedly looking into allegations of lobbying, after questioning former and current Shincheonji officials, including Ko Dong-an, who was once known as the group’s No. 2 figure, and finding indications that Lee directed lobbying efforts to head off a tax audit and a prosecutors’ investigation.
As it investigates the transferred case, the task force plans to review how the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office reached its decision not to indict at the time, and whether Shincheonji engaged in lobbying.
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 JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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