In the course of the special counsel's probe into Kim Keon-hee, suspicions that the Unification Church provided money to political circles are spreading to former and incumbent lawmakers of the Democratic Party of Korea. The party leadership is keeping a close watch on the potential fallout and how it could affect the political landscape going forward, staying on high alert. Within the party, some are also saying it should "ask investigative authorities for a thorough probe."
The Democratic Party leadership is holding off on an official response for now and watching how the investigation proceeds. A party official said, "Since the special counsel has referred the case to investigative authorities, the party has no choice but to wait for the results," adding, "It is difficult to respond hastily without knowing the specifics." Earlier, Special Counsel Min Joong-ki said on the 8th, "This matter is not subject to investigation under the special counsel law, so it will be handed over to investigative authorities."
The Democratic Party says it could take measures such as an ethics inspection by the party's Ethics Inspection Team depending on the outcome of the investigation. Chief spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said in a radio interview the previous day, "To make clear that this is on a different level from the organizational collusion between the People Power Party and the Unification Church, shouldn't there be a fact-finding probe by the party's Ethics Inspection Team?"
There are also calls inside the party for a tougher response. Five-term senior lawmaker Park Ji-won said on YTN Radio that "if it was an official political donation, there is no issue," but added, "If the Unification Church gave money or valuables to Democratic Party figures, it must be investigated thoroughly. It must not be applied selectively." He also wrote on Facebook the previous day, "If the Unification Church's dark hand reached into the Democratic Party, it must be dug out."
A two-term lawmaker from the greater Seoul area likewise said, "If illegal money changed hands, it must be rooted out," adding, "There is no need for the Ethics Inspection Team to look into it; investigative authorities should determine the facts thoroughly, and if there are problems, deal with them firmly."
While some inside the party are calling for a "thorough investigation," internally there is a watchful mood over how far the scope of the probe might expand and whether it could emerge as a political variable going forward. The "suspicions of receiving money and valuables from the Unification Church" directed at Democratic Party figures are spreading by the day.
According to legal sources, former Unification Church World Headquarters head Yoon Young-ho testified in an August special counsel interview that "during the Moon Jae-in administration, I delivered tens of millions of won each to two Democratic Party lawmakers." Among them, there are even allegations that Lawmaker A served as a "bridge" between the Unification Church and the party since 2016. It is said that as many as 15 Democratic Party figures were mentioned by the former headquarters head.
In court on the 5th, he also testified that "from 2017 to 2021, we were closer to the Democratic Party than to the People Power Party," and he even named figures at the prime minister level and incumbent and former provincial governors from the Moon Jae-in administration, amplifying the fallout. With even leading contenders for next year's local elections being cited as potentially implicated, concern is growing within the Democratic Party that "the risk could further expand." The names of as many as six or seven Democratic Party lawmakers have been mentioned so far.
The People Power Party is raising the level of its offensive, directly criticizing the special counsel's "biased investigation." It said the special counsel probing the Unification Church's alleged illegal political funds ignored allegations involving former and incumbent Democratic Party lawmakers, and announced it would report the special counsel to investigative authorities.
People Power Party floor leader Song Eon-seog said at a floor countermeasures meeting, "Why do they comb through the People Power Party while ignoring the Democratic Party they supposedly recognize?" adding, "This is dereliction of duty in violation of the special counsel law and a clear abuse of authority." Senior floor spokesperson Choi Eun-seok said in a commentary, "Special Counsel Min Joong-ki should be dismantled immediately, and all involved should be investigated comprehensively."