The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said on the 6th that a "joint prosecution-police investigation headquarters on corruption tied to religion and politics" had been formed to investigate allegations that religious groups, including the Unification Church and Shincheonji, intervened in and colluded with politics. The scope of the probe is similar to claims from the ruling camp, raising expectations of controversy in political circles.
The joint team will be set up at the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office with 47 members, headed by Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office chief Kim Tae-hun as headquarters chief, with Supreme Prosecutors' Office public investigation planning officer Im Sam-bin (deputy chief prosecutor) and North Jeolla Provincial Police Agency investigation chief Ham Young-uk (senior superintendent general) as deputy chiefs. From the prosecution, two division chiefs, six prosecutors, and 15 investigators will participate. From the police, two senior superintendents and 19 officers at superintendent level and below will work at the joint headquarters.
The prosecution will handle investigations of transferred cases, indictments, warrant reviews, and legal analysis, while the police will conduct ongoing investigations, apply for warrants, and transfer cases.
The Supreme Prosecutors' Office said it selected personnel with expertise in public and anti-corruption investigations, including prosecutors at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office dedicated to related cases and officers from the Korean National Police Agency's serious crimes investigation division who are currently investigating the Unification Church case.
The joint team plans to investigate all allegations related to collusion between religion and politics, including the provision of money and valuables by groups such as the Unification Church and Shincheonji to political and government figures, and election interference through joining specific parties.
◇ Supreme Prosecutors' Office: "Numerous allegations raised that the Unification Church and Shincheonji exerted influence over political circles"
Explaining the background for forming the joint team, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office said, "Recently, numerous allegations have been raised that specific religious groups such as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (Unification Church) and Shincheonji leveraged denominational organizations, funds, and human networks to exert influence over political circles."
Earlier, President Lee Jae-myung on Dec. 30 last year ordered a review of establishing a joint prosecution-police investigation headquarters separate from the "Unification Church special counsel" being pursued in political circles. Lee said, "The parts where religion intervened in, bought off, and colluded with politics are a serious matter that threatens the country's future," adding, "Don't just wait for a special counsel; please review whether the police and prosecution can form a joint team."
Chief prosecutor Kim Tae-hun, who heads the joint headquarters, served as the Ministry of Justice's prosecution affairs director under the Moon Jae-in administration and oversaw disciplinary measures against then-Prosecutor General Yoon Suk-yeol. After being sidelined under the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, he was promoted to chief prosecutor in personnel changes in July last year following the change of government.
In November last year, when controversy erupted over acting Prosecutor General Noh Man-seok's "dropping the appeal in the Daejang-dong case," only Kim and Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office chief Lim Eun-jeong did not sign a statement by frontline district chiefs asking to "explain the reasons for dropping the appeal."
◇ Ruling camp's special counsel bill targets the Unification Church and Shincheonji, excludes "biased probe by special counsel Min Joong-ki"
In political circles, there are calls to introduce a special counsel regarding allegations that religious groups intervened in politics. That is because special counsel Min Joong-ki's team, which investigated various allegations involving first lady Kim Keon-hee, did not investigate allegations related to the Democratic Party and the Unification Church, instead transferring them to the National Office of Investigation (NOI), prompting controversy.
The special counsel bill proposed by the People Power Party and the Reform Party targets alleged unlawful political funds provided to and received by politicians by the Unification Church, as well as related crimes such as cover-ups, quashing, inducement, and delays. The Rebuilding Korea Party's special counsel bill targets unlawful political fund provision by the Unification Church to politicians and alleged unlawful intervention in public elections.
By contrast, the Democratic Party's special counsel bill targets allegations that the Unification Church and Shincheonji provided money and valuables to political circles and made improper solicitations, as well as alleged unlawful intervention in public elections. The fact that special counsel Min Joong-ki's team did not investigate the Democratic Party's Unification Church-related allegations is excluded from the scope.