Ex-secretary to Unification Church leader quizzed over alleged palm-greasing of politicians
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Police on Sunday questioned a former chief secretary to Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja as part of a widening investigation into allegations that the church provided illicit money to politicians across party lines.
Jeong Won-ju, who formerly oversaw the church’s finances and was reportedly the No. 2 figure in the church’s leadership, appeared at the national police agency headquarters in Seoul earlier in the day to face questioning as a suspect, police officials said.
The Unification Church is currently at the center of corruption allegations involving Kim Keon Hee, the wife of ousted former President Yoon Suk Yeol, that the church provided luxury gifts to her in return for favors.
Police are currently broadening the investigation into allegations that the church also made illicit payments to several politicians across party lines, including Chun Jae-soo, who resigned as oceans minister earlier this month.
It marks the second time Jeong has been questioned in connection with the investigation. Known as one of Han’s closest aides, she was previously questioned on Dec. 18 and has since been booked as a suspect.
Police suspect that Jeong, who formerly oversaw the church’s coffers, was aware of or involved in the church’s alleged palm-greasing of politicians between 2018 and 2020.
One focus of Sunday’s questioning is whether the church sought political favors in connection with its proposed project to build an underwater tunnel linking Korea and Japan.
Content retrieved from: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/law-crime/20251228/ex-secretary-to-unification-church-leader-quizzed-over-alleged-palm-greasing-of-politicians.
