Police investigating allegations that the Unification Church lobbied politicians have handed over Han Hak-ja, the Unification Church leader, and former Unification Church World Headquarters Deputy Minister Yun Young-ho, among four people, to prosecutors.
According to police on the 30th, the Korean National Police Agency National Office of Investigation (NOI) special task force is understood to have referred Han, former Deputy Minister Yun, former chief of staff to the leader Jeong Won-ju, and former head Song Gwang-seok of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), an affiliate of the Unification Church, to prosecutors the previous day on charges of violating the Political Funds Act.
They are accused of illegally delivering donations to ruling and opposition politicians in early 2019. Police believe a so-called "split donations" method was used, in which donations were made under individuals' names and then reimbursed by the Unification Church corporation.
Given that the statute of limitations for violating the Political Funds Act is seven years, police appear to have first referred the split-donations case to prosecutors.
This is the first time since the task force launched on the 10th that suspects have been referred in connection with allegations that the Unification Church lobbied politicians.
The task force is also currently investigating allegations that around 2018 to 2020, the Unification Church side delivered tens of millions of won in cash and other benefits to former Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries Minister Chun Jae-soo, former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lim Jong-seong, and former United Future Party (UFP) lawmaker Kim Gyu-hwan.