Task force raids seven Unification Church locations over suspected illegal political donations

Published January 23, 2026 By admin

A joint probe team of prosecutors and police on Friday raided multiple sites linked to the Unification Church, escalating an investigation into suspected illegal political donations and possible collusion between religious organizations and lawmakers.

Investigators carried out search-and-seizure operations at seven church-related locations, including Cheon Jeong Palace, the church’s headquarters in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi. Authorities suspect that the church systematically funneled money to members of the National Assembly in violation of the Political Funds Act.

The warrants cite suspected breaches of election and political funding laws. Investigators are examining whether the church used a so-called split donation scheme, in which organizational funds are broken into smaller sums and donated under individuals’ names to evade legal limits.

The investigation follows the indictment of Song Kwang-seok, a former head of the Universal Peace Federation, an organization affiliated with the church. Prosecutors allege that Song disguised 13 million won ($8,900) in corporate funds as personal donations and delivered them to fund-raising committees for 11 lawmakers from both the Democratic Party and the People Power Party in January 2019.

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