A court on the 4th decided to suspend the execution of detention for Unification Church President Han Hak-ja. The suspension period runs until 4 p.m. on the 7th of this month. Han must return to the detention center before this period ends.
The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 27 (Presiding Judge Woo In-seong) said it decided that day to suspend the execution of detention for Han. Han's side on the 1st asked the court to halt the execution of detention due to health reasons.
Suspension of the execution of detention is a system that temporarily releases a defendant when it is recognized that there are urgent grounds for release, such as serious illness, childbirth, or attending a family funeral.
In response, the special counsel investigating Kim Keon-hee reportedly ordered Han's release at about 5:20 p.m. that day. Han was freed 42 days after being detained on Sept. 23.
However, the court said, "During the period when the execution of detention is suspended, Han's residence is restricted to within the hospital," and added, "During the suspension period, Han must not contact anyone other than hospital staff and legal counsel, or communicate with people related to the case."
Earlier, on the 10th of last month, the special counsel indicted Han without physical detention on charges including violations of the Political Funds Act. The special counsel believes that Han and former presidential chief secretary Jeong Won-ju gave 100 million won in cash in Jan. 2022 to People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong.
The special counsel also determined that they colluded with former global headquarters chief Yun Young-ho to split 144 million won in Unification Church funds in Mar.–Apr. 2022 to donate to People Power Party lawmakers and others, violating the Political Funds Act.
In addition, the special counsel believes the three gave valuables worth about 82 million won to former President Yoon Suk-yeol's wife, first lady Kim Keon-hee, on two occasions in July 2022, violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.
Furthermore, the special counsel believes Han and former chief secretary Jeong, together with former headquarters chief Yun, arbitrarily used about 1.35 billion won of Unification Church funds, constituting occupational embezzlement and violating the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes (embezzlement).