Former Deputy Minister Yoon Young-ho faces the prospect of arrest for allegedly giving expensive necklaces and luxury bags worth tens of millions of won to Jeon Seong-bae, a private monk, in exchange for requests regarding issues related to the Unification Church.
On the morning of the 30th, at 10:30 a.m., Director General Jeong Jae-wook of the Seoul Central District Court will conduct an initial examination of the suspect prior to the arrest of former Deputy Minister Yoon, who is under suspicion for violations of the Political Fund Act and the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Act, as well as embezzlement.
Around 9:30 a.m. that day, former Deputy Minister Yoon entered the court without answering reporters' questions such as 'What was the purpose of giving the necklace?' and 'The Unification Church claims it is an individual deviation; what is your position?'
Previously, on the 25th, Special Prosecutor Kim Keon-hee filed for an arrest warrant for former Deputy Minister Yoon.
Former Deputy Minister Yoon is accused of giving expensive gifts, including two Chanel bags worth 20 million won from April to June 2022, and a British Graff diamond necklace and ginseng concentrate worth around 60 million won from June to August 2022, to Jeon Seong-bae in order to request Unification Church-related issues.
The Special Prosecutor suspects that former Deputy Minister Yoon, through Jeon, attempted to request high-value gifts related to issues such as the development of the Mekong River site in Cambodia, the acquisition of YTN, and invitations to the presidential inauguration ceremony.
The Unification Church insists that these allegations are 'an individual deviation by former Deputy Minister Yoon.' However, it is known that the Special Prosecutor is continuing the investigation with the possibility that former Deputy Minister Yoon's actions could have been part of an organized attempt at solicitation by the church.