[2022 National Audit] Shincheonji's Lee Man-hee, Convicted of Embezzling 5.7 Billion Won, Still Receives Monthly Allowance as a National Merit Recipient

Supreme Court Confirms 3-Year Prison Sentence with 5-Year Probation for Chairman Lee; Veterans' Benefits of 25.47 Million Won Paid
Current Law Requires Imprisonment Over 1 Year to Strip National Merit Status
Assemblyman Kang Byung-won: "Is National Merit Status Justified for Serious Crimes Like Embezzlement? It Contradicts Public Common Sense"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] It has been revealed that Lee Man-hee, the chairman of Shincheonji, continues to receive veterans' benefits while maintaining his status as a 'national merit recipient' despite being convicted of embezzlement amounting to 5.7 billion KRW.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Lee Man-hee, the president of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony (Shincheonji), is holding a press conference on the COVID-19 situation at the Shincheonji Palace of Peace in Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do on the 2nd. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

According to Kang Byung-won, a member of the National Assembly's Political Affairs Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, Lee was recognized as a 'Korean War veteran national merit recipient' in 2015. However, in August, the Supreme Court sentenced him to three years in prison with a five-year probation for 'embezzlement, trespassing the Suwon World Cup Main Stadium, and obstructing facility management duties.'

Under Article 39 of the current 'Act on the Treatment of Veterans and the Establishment of Related Organizations,' the status of a national merit recipient is revoked if a prison sentence of one year or more is confirmed. In Lee's case, since he avoided actual imprisonment due to probation, he continues to receive veterans' allowances every month despite the 5.7 billion KRW embezzlement.

Since his designation as a merit recipient in 2015, Lee has been paid a total of 25.47 million KRW in honorary veterans' allowances, and unless related systems are improved, he will continue to receive these allowances monthly.

There are criticisms that continuing to provide veterans' benefits to individuals who have committed serious crimes damages the honor of national merit recipients.

Assemblyman Kang Byung-won pointed out, "Although he was convicted of a serious crime such as embezzlement, he still receives national merit veterans' benefits solely because of probation. This undermines the honor of all national merit recipients."

He added, "The Veterans Affairs Office remained passive even when the appropriateness of Lee's designation as a national merit recipient was questioned in 2020. This is unacceptable by common public standards, and prompt system improvements are necessary."