The People Power Party pushed back against the inclusion of suspicions related to Shincheonji as a target of investigation in the "special counsel bill on the Unification Church" proposed by the Democratic Party of Korea, saying it "blurs the point." It also noted that Min Joong-ki's special counsel team did not investigate suspicions involving the Democratic Party of Korea and the Unification Church because they were excluded from the special counsel's mandate.
Earlier, on the 26th, the Democratic Party of Korea proposed the "bill on appointing a special counsel to uncover the truth about alleged collusion and corruption between the Unification Church and Shincheonji and the political community."
The bill lists as targets of the special counsel's investigation suspicions that the Unification Church, Shincheonji, and their affiliated groups and associates provided money or entertainment to political figures and made improper solicitations; organized party membership drives mobilizing believers; and illegally interfered in party and public office elections.
On the 27th, Choi Su-jin, senior deputy spokesperson for the People Power Party's floor, said in a commentary, "This special counsel arose because Min Joong-ki, the special counsel recommended by the Democratic Party of Korea, secured testimony about providing money to Democratic Party of Korea figures but failed to properly conduct the investigation," adding, "Nevertheless, the Democratic Party of Korea says it will exclude suspicions of Min Joong-ki's concealment of the investigation from the (new) special counsel's scope."
Regarding the inclusion of suspicions related to Shincheonji in the new special counsel's mandate, the party said it "blurs the point," calling it nothing more than a counteroffensive operation to dilute suspicions about the Unification Church surrounding the Lee Jae-myung administration and figures in the Democratic Party of Korea.
By contrast, Baek Seung-a, floor spokesperson for the Democratic Party of Korea, said, "The Unification Church–Shincheonji special counsel bill follows the public demand to uncover, without sanctuary, suspicions of collusion between religion and politics that damaged the constitutional order," adding, "Shincheonji has long faced suspicions that, based on its closed organizational structure and strong internal mobilization power, it systematically intervened in the electoral process."
Three special counsel bills related to the Unification Church have been introduced in the National Assembly. They are the Democratic Party of Korea's "Unification Church–Shincheonji special counsel bill," the Rebuilding Korea Party's "special counsel bill to uncover the truth about the Unification Church's illegal provision of political funds," and the People Power Party–Reform Party's "special counsel bill to uncover the truth about illegal money exchanges and collusion between the Unification Church and political figures."
The People Power Party–Reform Party's special counsel bill targets as subjects of investigation suspicions of the Unification Church's illegal provision and receipt of political funds involving politicians; related crimes such as concealment, quashing, inducement, and delay during the investigation of the case; and suspicions of organized party membership and exerting influence within parties by the Unification Church.
Under the Rebuilding Korea Party's special counsel bill, the targets of investigation are suspicions of the Unification Church's provision and receipt of illegal political funds and bribes to politicians, and suspicions of illegal intervention in intra-party elections and public office elections by specific religious organizations, including the Unification Church.
Earlier, when Min Joong-ki's special counsel team faced criticism for selectively investigating suspicions related to the Unification Church, it explained on the 8th that suspicions of the Unification Church providing money to Democratic Party of Korea politicians did not fall within the scope of the investigation. However, during its mandate, the special counsel team broadly identified and investigated "related crimes."
The People Power Party filed a criminal complaint with police against Min Joong-ki's special counsel, saying the team failed to launch an investigation despite receiving in August testimony from former Unification Church World Headquarters chief Yoon Young-ho regarding the provision and receipt of money by politicians from both ruling and opposition parties. Police referred suspicions of "biased investigation" by Min Joong-ki's special counsel to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO).