Prosecutors indict Unification Church official on illegal political donations
Published By admin
SEOUL, Dec. 31 (Yonhap) — Prosecutors decided Wednesday to indict a Unification Church official for allegedly delivering illegal political donations to lawmakers, while requesting additional investigation into other figures involved, including the leader.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors Office said it has indicted Song Gwang-seok, a former head of the Universal Peace Foundation affiliated with the church, amid an ongoing investigation into the religious group’s illegal political donations to both ruling and opposition parties.
Song allegedly delivered church funds worth 13 million won (US$8,960) to 11 lawmakers in 2019.
On the previous day, the police transferred Han Hak-ja, the church leader, and three other officials, including Song, to prosecutors.
Han is currently in custody on a separate bribery charge involving former first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, requested the police to conduct an additional investigation into Han and two other officials.
The four are accused of making illegal donations to both ruling and opposition politicians in an organized manner in early 2019. Police believe church officials made the donations under their own names and were later reimbursed by the church.
The statute of limitations in the case was set to expire Friday.
Prosecutors said, however, that the limitation period for Han and her accomplices will be suspended following Song’s indictment.
Content retrieved from: https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20251231007500320.
