Unification Church leader to voluntarily appear for special counsel questioning this week
Published By admin
Han Hak-ja, leader of the Unification Church allegedly connected with the delivery of luxury gifts to ex-first lady Kim Keon Hee in exchange for favors, will voluntarily appear for questioning by a special counsel team this week after not heeding earlier summons, her attorneys said Sunday.
Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team said earlier Sunday that Han, whom it had summoned for questioning Monday, said through her legal representatives that she won’t be able to appear that day due to health reasons. It was the third time Han, believed to be in her early 80s, had not heeded the team’s summons.
Her attorneys responded that Han will instead make herself available for either Wednesday or Thursday.
According to the Unification Church, Han underwent a procedure for arrhythmia on Sept. 4 but suffered another instance of irregular heartbeats a week later. A Unification Church official said Han’s medical records had been submitted to Min’s team.
“It was clearly stated she will voluntarily appear for questioning, and we wanted to clarify that she is not refusing to be questioned,” the official added. “She will fully cooperate with the special counsel’s investigation.”
Previously, Min’s team sought to question Han last Monday and then again last Thursday, with Han not appearing on either day due to health issues.
Han is suspected of involvement in a Unification Church official’s delivery of luxury gifts to Kim in 2022, which were allegedly in exchange for favors by then President Yoon Seok Yeol in various projects pursued by the church.
Han also allegedly instructed a senior church official surnamed Yun to give People Power Party Rep. Kweon Seong-dong 100 million won ($71,740) to also ask for the Yoon administration’s support of her church.
The Unification Church has maintained that the gifts were offered based on the official’s personal motives and there was no formal involvement by the church.
Content retrieved from: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10575185.
