Cult leader Jeong Myeong-seok faces new charges for unlicensed miracle water sales
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Already imprisoned for sexually assaulting followers, cult leader Jeong Myeong-seok is facing fresh charges for allegedly profiting from unlicensed sales of “miracle water” to his devotees.
Jeong, founder of the Christian Gospel Mission cult, commonly known as JMS, who is already serving a 17-year sentence for sexually assaulting female followers and is standing trial on additional charges of similar crimes, has been indicted again — this time for illegally selling so-called “Wolmyeong Water” to his followers.
The Daejeon District Prosecutors’ Office said on Thursday that Jeong and a former JMS executive were indicted for violating the Drinking Water Management Act, which prohibits the unauthorized sale, collection, production or transport of drinking water for commercial purposes.
Jeong and his associate allegedly profited around 2 billion won ($1.44 million) by exploiting rumors among followers that water from a spring at the JMS retreat center in Wolmyeong-dong, Geumsan County, South Chungcheong, had curative properties for various ailments.
Jeong was convicted in January by the Supreme Court of sexually assaulting and molesting female followers on dozens of occasions between February 2018 and September 2021 at the Wolmyeong-dong retreat. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
Separately, he was indicted again last May and November on additional sexual assault charges and is currently standing trial at the Daejeon District Court.
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