South Korea’s Unification Church Embroiled in Scandal

A special counsel team in South Korea has requested a 13-year prison sentence for Han Hak-ja, the leader of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, commonly known as the Unification Church. The team made this request during the final hearing in Han’s trial at the Seoul Central District Court, where she has been charged with violating the Political Funds Act and other offenses.

The special counsel team, led by Min Joong-ki, sought a prison term of five years for Han on the political funds charge and eight years on the remaining charges. In a statement, the team emphasized that Han and her associates used their vast financial resources to unlawfully influence public authority in an effort to expand their religious interests and integrate religion and politics.

The team further argued that Han’s alleged crimes directly violated the spirit of the South Korean Constitution and damaged representative democracy. According to the special counsel, Han and her associates used donations from believers to improperly collude with political forces and attempt to influence the country.

Other defendants being tried alongside Han also faced prison term requests. For a former chief of staff identified only by the surname Chung, the team sought four years in prison on the political funds charge and six years on the remaining charges. Yun Young-ho, the former head of the church’s world headquarters, was asked to serve one year and six months in prison on the political funds charge and two years on the remaining charges. The team requested a three-year prison term for Yun’s wife, identified only by the surname Lee.

Han is accused of conspiring with Yun and others to deliver 100 million won (approximately $66,000) in political funds to People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong in January 2022. She is also accused of involvement in delivering gifts to former first lady Kim Keon Hee through Jeon Seong-bae, a religious figure known as Geonjin, while seeking favors related to church affairs in 2022.

Han arrived at the court using a wheelchair and wearing a black jacket and white pants. She did not answer reporters’ questions about her alleged involvement in the scandal.