[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] The religious group ‘Shincheonji’ affiliated organization, the Association for Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (hereinafter HWPL), filed an administrative lawsuit challenging the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s cancellation of its corporate establishment permit but lost in the first trial.
On the 3rd, the Administrative Division 1 of the Seoul Administrative Court (Chief Judge An Jong-hwa) ruled against HWPL in the lawsuit seeking to cancel the permit revocation filed against the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Last April, Seoul City revoked HWPL’s establishment permit, stating, “Several illegal activities were confirmed through an administrative investigation.” HWPL is an organization founded by Lee Man-hee, the chairman of Shincheonji, claiming to engage in international exchange and peace activities.
HWPL was approved for corporate establishment under the pretext of cultural exchange and support projects for developing countries, but investigations revealed that it actually conducted religious activities jointly with the Shincheonji church, which were outside its stated purpose. Seoul City cited violations of legal procedures related to accounting audits and illegal occupation of public facilities as additional reasons for the cancellation, citing public interest infringements.
In response, HWPL filed for a suspension of execution and an administrative lawsuit in May of the same year. The court accepted the suspension request, temporarily halting the effect of the cancellation, but ultimately ruled in favor of Seoul City in the main lawsuit.
Meanwhile, Shincheonji also filed an administrative lawsuit challenging Seoul City’s cancellation of the corporate establishment permit for the ‘Sa-dan Beobin Sae-haneul Sae-ttang Jeunggeo Jangmak Seongjeon Yesugyo Seon-gyohoe’ (New Heaven New Earth Tabernacle Church of the Evidence), with the court’s decision on this case expected on November 9.
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