Court dismisses lawmaker’s, Unification Church leader’s petitions against arrest
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A Seoul court has dismissed the petitions of Rep. Kweon Seong-dong and Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja against their arrests, keeping them in custody over their alleged exchange of illegal political funds for favors.
The Seoul Central District Court issued the rulings late Wednesday, hours after holding hearings to review whether their arrests last month were legal and should remain in place.
“Based on the results of suspect questioning and the case records, it is acknowledged that the requests have no cause,” the bench said, ruling in favor of special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team, which had cited risks the suspects would destroy evidence.’
Kweon of the main opposition People Power Party was once considered a close confidant of former President Yoon Suk Yeol. He is accused of receiving 100 million won ($71,100) in illegal political funds from a former Unification Church official surnamed Yun in January 2022.
In return, Kweon was allegedly asked to help gain favors for the church in the event of Yoon’s presidential election. Yoon went on to win the presidency in March that year.
Han, meanwhile, is accused of working with Yun to hand Kweon the 100 million won. She also faces charges of gifting former first lady Kim Keon Hee, Yoon’s wife, a luxury necklace and Chanel handbags through a shaman between April and July 2022, among other alleged offenses.
Both Kweon and Han had disputed the credibility of the testimonies made against them by Yun.
They will both remain in custody at the Seoul Detention Center just south of the capital for now. Kweon’s pretrial arrest period expires during the extended Chuseok holiday that begins Friday, raising the possibility the special counsel team will indict him before then.
Content retrieved from: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/politics/20251002/court-dismisses-lawmakers-unification-church-leaders-petitions-against-arrest.
