Unification Church Chairperson’s Arrest Warrant Review Begins
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A special counsel team led by Min Joong-ki is conducting a substantive review of the arrest warrant requested for Han Hak-ja, chairperson of the Unification Church (Family Federation for World Peace and Unification), at the Seoul Central District Court on the 22nd. The review pertains to allegations that the Unification Church illegally provided funds to People Power Party Representative Kweon Seong-dong, Kim Keon-hee, and others.
Presiding Judge Jung Jae-wook of the Seoul Central District Court, who oversees arrest warrant cases, will begin the substantive review of the warrant for Han Hak-ja—accused of violating the Political Funds Act and other charges—at 1:30 p.m. on the 22nd.
The special counsel team insists that securing Han Hak-ja, the “core figure” of the Unification Church, is essential to expedite the investigation. They aim to clarify allegations that Han directed Yun Young-ho, former global head of the Unification Church, to provide funds to Representative Kweon and Ms. Kim, and to illegally support the People Power Party.
However, the Unification Church issued a statement on the 21st, asserting, “Han Hak-ja, 83 years old, has severely deteriorated vision despite long-term treatment for cataracts and glaucoma. Additionally, she has not fully recovered from heart surgery in September. If detained, there is a high risk of rapid blindness due to increased intraocular pressure and complications from her heart condition.”
They added, “The Unification Church operates through over 300 affiliated organizations, including its global headquarters and foundations. It is institutionally impossible for the chairperson to oversee all affairs. Since investigative authorities have already secured vast amounts of data through two large-scale seizures and interrogations of related individuals, detention will not yield new findings.”
The church further stated, “There is no possibility of flight or evidence destruction, and the truth can be fully investigated without detention. We expect the judiciary to uphold legal principles while respecting constitutional values such as basic human rights and religious freedom.”
Han Hak-ja faces four charges: violating the Political Funds Act, violating the Improper Solicitation Act, instigating evidence destruction, and occupational embezzlement. She is accused of instructing Yun Young-ho to deliver 100 million Korean won in political funds to Representative Kweon in January 2022 (Political Funds Act violation) and donating a total of 210 million Korean won to People Power Party metropolitan and provincial chapters using church funds. Additionally, Han is suspected of involvement in soliciting favors from Ms. Kim by providing a Graff necklace and a Chanel bag through Jeon Seong-bae, a “Geonjin Bopsa” practitioner, between April and July 2022 (Improper Solicitation Act violation).
Other charges include embezzlement for purchasing items given to Ms. Kim with church funds and instructing Yun to destroy evidence in October 2022 to obstruct a police investigation into allegations of Han’s overseas gambling (instigation of evidence destruction).
Content retrieved from: https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/09/21/47WTTBUOQBCPXPIB7ZGOMG7XWQ/.
