Kweon Seong-dong of the People Power Party said the detention order by the Kim Keon-hee special counsel was unlawful and unjust, and the court's review of the legality of his detention concluded on the 1st after about 1 hour and 40 minutes. Kweon was detained on the 17th of last month on suspicion of receiving illegal political funds from the Unification Church. A decision on whether to release Kweon is expected as early as late tonight or early on the 2nd.
The Criminal Appellate Division 8-3 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judges Choi Jin-suk, Cha Seung-hwan and Choi Hae-il) held a hearing for about 1 hour and 40 minutes from 2:10 p.m. to around 3:50 p.m. on the 1st to review the legality of detention for Kweon, who is accused of violating the Political Funds Act.
Kweon's defense team arrived at the court at around 1:40 p.m. that day. From the Kim Keon-hee special counsel's office, it was reported that three prosecutors and investigators, including Senior Prosecutor Chae Hee-man, attended the review.
A detention legality review is a procedure in which the court examines and decides on the lawfulness of a suspect's detention and the need to continue it. The court assigns the case to the responsible panel, and that panel must conduct the suspect's questioning and evidence examination within 48 hours of receiving the petition. If the court grants the petition, the suspect is released; if it is dismissed, detention continues. The period spent in a detention center while awaiting the result of the detention legality review is not counted toward the detention period.
Earlier, the Kim Keon-hee special counsel sent a motion to arrest Kweon, who was under investigation on suspicion of receiving political funds from the Unification Church, to the National Assembly on the 11th of last month. The National Assembly held a plenary session the same day and passed the motion to arrest Kweon with 173 votes in favor, 1 against, 1 abstention and 2 invalid among 177 members present.
After holding a warrant hearing for Kweon on the 16th of last month, the court issued an arrest warrant on the 17th, saying there was concern about the destruction of evidence. Accordingly, Kweon, who had been held at the Seoul Detention Center, filed for a detention legality review with the court on the 29th of last month.
The special counsel suspects that in Jan. 2022, Kweon received illegal political funds worth 100 million won from Yoon Young-ho, former head of the Unification Church's world headquarters. Kweon is also suspected of receiving money and valuables from Unification Church President Han Hak-ja.