The joint prosecution-police investigation headquarters probing alleged collusion between politics and religion summoned Go Dong-an, former general affairs chief of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji), for questioning as a suspect. Go, a former general affairs chief, was known inside Shincheonji as the so-called "No. 2."
According to legal sources, the joint investigation headquarters has been questioning Go, a former general affairs chief, from about 10 a.m. on the 14th. Go faces allegations of violating the Political Parties Act by coercing Shincheonji believers to join the People Power Party as dues-paying members from 2017 to 2024.
The joint investigation headquarters suspects that Go, a former general affairs chief, sought to influence the People Power Party primary for the 20th presidential election in 2021 and the People Power Party primary for the 22nd general election in 2024. The focus of the probe is whether believers were systematically signed up as dues-paying members and then mobilized in the primary voting process.
Investigators are checking whether party enrollments took place on the instruction or approval of Chairman Lee Man-hee of Shincheonji, with Go, a former general affairs chief, as the subject. Whether there were quid pro quos with political circles in the party enrollment process is also among those surveyed. The joint investigation headquarters is also looking into whether political funds were provided or requests were made regarding Shincheonji-related pending issues.
This is the first time Go, a former general affairs chief, has been questioned as a suspect. The joint investigation headquarters summoned Go as a reference witness in Feb. Previously, Go was also reportedly charged with embezzling funds from the Shincheonji denomination.
Earlier, the joint investigation headquarters raided the Shincheonji General Assembly headquarters and the People Power Party headquarters, securing lists of believers and party member rolls. The investigation team is said to have confirmed that around 2021, about 4,600 Shincheonji believers joined the People Power Party as dues-paying members. That is about 0.8% of the People Power Party's roughly 570,000-member electoral college as of Nov. 2021.
Based on the results of questioning Go, a former general affairs chief, the joint investigation headquarters plans to consider whether it is necessary to question Lee, the chairman, and other Shincheonji leadership.