Prosecutors expand shaman probe to ex-director of Unification Church over bribery allegations
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Prosecutors investigating allegations that shaman Jeon Seong-bae, known as “Geon Jin,” made illicit requests to former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee are expanding their investigation to focus on a man surnamed Yoon, a former director-general of the Unification Church, and his wife, who are believed to have sought favors for major projects within and outside the church.
The Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office summoned Jeon on Saturday for questioning as a suspect on charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act, according to the prosecution and other sources on Sunday.
This came just three days after prosecutors raided Yoon Suk Yeol’s residence in the Acrovista apartment complex, the former office of Covana Contents operated by Kim, and the homes of two former aides.
Jeon is accused of receiving luxury gifts — a Chanel handbag, “Cheonsusam” ginseng concentrate tea from Unification Church affiliate Ilhwa and a diamond necklace from British luxury jeweler Graff — from the former director-general of the Unification Church world headquarters and former vice president of Sun Moon University, and delivering them to Kim between April and August 2022.
Prosecutors are reportedly focusing their questioning on how Jeon received these gifts from the former director-general and his wife, whether they were actually delivered to Kim, and if so, when and how.
According to a comprehensive report by the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, Yoon is suspected of having sent a luxury handbag to the first lady through Jeon between April and June 2022, around the time of Yoon Suk Yeol’s election and inauguration as president.
Although some say the bag was simply a gesture of courtesy, prosecutors believe it was part of a request to support Unification Church interests — such as the Cambodian official development assistance (ODA) project and efforts to attract the United Nation’s fifth secretariat office.
Following this, on June 13, 2022, the Ministry of Economy and Finance held a comprehensive ODA policy meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and decided to increase its Economic Development Cooperation Fund allocation from the $7 billion budgeted from 2016 to2023) to $15 billion from 2022 to 2026.
Prosecutors believe Yoon also gave Jeon the ginseng concentrate tea as a gift to the former first couple. This premium tea, which has received multiple awards from the Brussels-based Monde Selection, is expensive and sold only overseas.
The Graff diamond necklace, reportedly worth around 60 million won ($43,060), is believed to have been handed to Jeon after the former president and first lady returned from a NATO summit on June 30, 2022. Kim was criticized in August of the same year for wearing high-end jewelry — a Van Cleef & Arpels necklace and Graff earrings — during the NATO trip.
At that time, the church director allegedly said, “Why is the first lady borrowing a necklace?” and asked Jeon to deliver a Graff necklace to her as a gift.
Content retrieved from: https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2025-05-04/national/politics/Prosecutors-expand-shaman-probe-to-exdirector-of-Unification-Church-over-bribery-allegations/2299848.
