The joint prosecution-police task force on church-state collusion that is currently investigating allegations of the Unification Church's lobbying of politicians has summoned former Democratic Party of Korea lawmaker Lim Jong-seong again for questioning. It is a re-summons in connection with allegations of taking money and valuables and violating the Political Funds Act.
According to legal sources on the 24th, the task force has been questioning the former lawmaker from 9 a.m. as a suspect on charges of violating the Political Funds Act. It is the second summons following the first round of questioning on the 11th.
During his appearance, the former lawmaker reaffirmed his previous position when asked by reporters whether he had communicated with former Unification Church world headquarters head Yun Young-ho. Lim said, "Definitely not," adding, "We forensically examined the mobile phone, but the former headquarters head Yun's phone number did not appear at all."
He also drew a line regarding why his name appears multiple times in the "TM (True Mother) special report" document prepared by Unification Church executives. The former lawmaker said, "I thought it was, in my own way, diplomatic activity, and I worked hard; I don't think there was any special reason," adding, "I have never helped with Unification Church projects at all."
The former lawmaker is suspected of receiving money and valuables worth 30 million won from the Unification Church around April 2020, before and after the general election.
In the TM document, reportedly prepared for a report to Han Hak-ja, the former lawmaker's name was mentioned 19 times, and it was also said to contain content to the effect that he helped the Unification Church's water resources project in Kyrgyzstan.
The task force also believes the former lawmaker was included on the Unification Church's so-called "split donations" list and is checking the circumstances related to it. The Unification Church is suspected of having donated political funds to dozens of politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties before and after hosting "World Summit 2020" in 2020, and the former lawmaker is also said to have received a donation at that time.
The former lawmaker denies all related allegations, including taking money and valuables.