The special counsel investigating Kim Keon-hee indicted Han Hak-ja, president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (Unification Church), on detention on the 10th in connection with alleged collusion between religion and politics.
The special counsel said it indicted President Han on detention on charges including violations of the Political Funds Act and indicted former presidential chief of staff Jeong Won-ju without detention. It also said it additionally indicted former Unification Church world headquarters head Yoon Young-ho on charges including embezzlement in the course of duty and indicted his wife, Ms. A, without detention. Earlier, on Aug. 18, the special counsel had indicted former headquarters head Yoon on detention.
The special counsel believes President Han and former chief of staff Jeong gave 100 million won in political funds in cash to People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong in Jan. 2022. The special counsel also found that they, in collusion with former headquarters head Yoon, violated the Political Funds Act by making split donations totaling 144 million won to People Power Party members of the National Assembly and others in Mar.–Apr. 2022 using Unification Church funds.
In addition, the special counsel believes the three gave valuables worth 82 million won to Kim Keon-hee, wife of former President Yoon Suk-yeol, on two occasions in Jul. 2022, violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.
It was also found that President Han and former chief of staff Jeong, after obtaining investigative information related to their overseas casino gambling in Oct. 2022, instructed former headquarters head Yoon to destroy evidence.
Furthermore, the special counsel believes President Han and former chief of staff Jeong, together with former headquarters head Yoon, arbitrarily used about 1.35 billion won of Unification Church funds, constituting embezzlement in the course of duty and a violation of the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement).
Specifically, the special counsel found that in 2022 they provided 100 million won in political funds to Rep. Kweon, 210 million won to make donations to the People Power Party, and arbitrarily used 82 million won in purchase costs when providing valuables to Ms. Kim. The special counsel also said that in Jul. 2022 they gave $100,000 in campaign funds to a lawmaker in country B and $500,000 in campaign funds to the ruling party in country C.
The special counsel also believes former chief of staff Jeong and Ms. A misappropriated organization funds (embezzlement in the course of duty and embezzlement under the Specific Economic Crimes Act) by turning over about 1.9 billion won, including the Unification Church Cheonseung Fund designated for specific uses, to President Han without accounting for it.
Regarding this, the special counsel said, "We plan to continue investigating the remaining cases subject to investigation under the special counsel act, including alleged violations of the Political Parties Act by the defendants, and related accomplices."
Meanwhile, the Unification Church expressed "deep regret" over the indictment on detention. The Unification Church said, "This indictment stems from a lack of understanding of the symbolic and spiritual role President Han has performed as a religious leader." It added, "President Han has carried out a faith-based mission unrelated to political or monetary purposes and had no involvement in directing or carrying out this case."