Rep. Chun Jae-soo of the Democratic Party of Korea, who is under suspicion of receiving money and valuables from the Unification Church, pushed back on the 15th against media reports that he attended multiple Unification Church events in 2018, stressing, "There was not the slightest instance of illegal receipt of money or valuables."
On this day, Chun said in a statement, "On May 27, 2018, the day the Unification Church purportedly gathered 600 people, I attended the 60th-anniversary Mass at a parish in my district and the commemorative ceremony after the Mass," adding, "On Sept. 9, 2018, the day of a Unification Church event, I was doing grass-cutting at ancestral graves in my hometown of Uiryeong, South Gyeongsang."
Earlier, some media outlets, citing the "Family Federation for World Peace and Unification newsletter" posted by the Unification Church's Culture and Public Relations Bureau on its internal website, reported that Chun attended the "5th District New Korea leaders' invitational dinner commemorating the 6th anniversary of Moon Sun-myung's ascension" held at Lotte Hotel Busan on Sept. 9, 2018, and delivered a memorial address. Chun countered that he did not attend the event.
Chun also emphasized that his taking commemorative photos and offering congratulatory remarks at events related to the Unification Church were simply part of relations with local residents and had nothing to do with any particular religious group.
He said, "In my district, Buk-gu, we call those up to age 79 'older brother' or 'older sister,' and from 80, 'eldest brother' or 'eldest sister,'" adding, "During elections, the older brothers and sisters come to the campaign office, say 'stay strong, we support you,' bring a book, and ask to take a photo together—how could I refuse? Even when it's not election season, if the neighborhood older brothers and sisters have time and ask me to come to an event and offer a congratulatory remark, I can't go to them all, but I sometimes drop by to see them, say hello, and give a congratulatory remark."
He continued, "Whether the older brothers and sisters in Buk-gu go to a Protestant church, a Catholic church, or a Buddhist temple, they are all precious older brothers, older sisters, and neighbors to me."
He went on to strongly deny the bribery allegations, saying, "There was clearly not the slightest instance of illegal receipt of money or valuables."
Meanwhile, based on statements by Yoon Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church world headquarters, police booked Chun as a suspect on bribery charges and imposed an overseas travel ban. The Korean National Police Agency's special task force began executing search and seizure warrants at about 9 a.m. on 10 locations, including Chun's office at the National Assembly Members' Office Building, on this day. Chun's side said it will explain the related allegations during the investigation.