Heo Kyung-young Responds to Sexual Harassment Allegations: "I Gave Spiritual Energy"

Complaint Filed Against 22 Visitors to Haneulgung
Representative Heo's Side Denies, "Not True at All"

Huh Kyung-young (77), Honorary Representative of the National Revolutionary Party, has been accused of sexual harassment by female followers at the religious facility he operates. Huh's side denied the allegations, stating, "This is not true."

Earlier, on the 19th, according to the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency, 22 followers who visited Huh's religious facility, Haneulgung, filed a police complaint against Huh in early last month for sexual harassment in a crowded public place. The complainants claimed they were sexually harassed by Huh during a religious event held at Haneulgung, located around Gwon Yul-ro, Seokhyeon-ri, Jangheung-myeon, Yangju-si, Gyeonggi Province.

Heo Kyung-young, Honorary Representative of the National Revolutionary Party
Photo by Yonhap News

They alleged, "Huh conducted a ritual called 'energy healing,' stating that touching his body would heal painful areas and bring good fortune, during which he sexually harassed the followers."

On the 19th, legal representatives from the law firm Taerim, Park Sang-seok and Ha Jung-rim, representing Huh and Haneulgung Co., Ltd., refuted the claims, saying, "The reports that Honorary Representative Huh Kyung-young sexually harassed people during meetings at Haneulgung are completely untrue."

The lawyers explained the act as "giving spiritual energy with the consent of the parties during the meeting," adding, "This is similar to the laying on of hands prayer in churches, and the main purpose of visitors to Haneulgung is to receive Huh's spiritual energy."

They continued, "Visitors who have received spiritual energy from Huh at the meeting place have all expressed their gratitude to him," emphasizing, "Moreover, it is impossible for Huh to sexually harass visitors in front of dozens or hundreds of witnesses."

"Group Demanding Haneulgung Interests" Rebuttal

Testimony of a woman in her 20s who alleged sexual harassment by Heo Kyung-young in 2022.
[Photo by JTBC News]

Haneulgung's side also claimed that the women who filed the complaint are demanding large sums of money or interests related to Haneulgung.

The lawyers stated, "The complainants are a group who have previously directly demanded large sums of money or interests related to Haneulgung from our client," adding, "They have been systematically approaching visitors to Haneulgung, persuading them to participate in the complaint by promising to secure large sums of money from Haneulgung, and are actively proceeding with this complaint."

They further claimed, "This sexual harassment media report came right after Huh was scheduled to run as a proportional representative candidate for the National Revolutionary Party in the 22nd National Assembly election," calling it "a very old-fashioned and illegal act aimed at damaging the honor of Huh, who is running for office, and pressuring him to achieve their own goals."

The Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency has been summoning and investigating the complainants one by one and is expected to summon Honorary Representative Huh soon as a suspect in the sexual harassment case.

Previously, in March 2022, controversy arose when allegations surfaced that Huh sexually harassed and assaulted a woman under the pretext of healing her ailments.

At that time, JTBC reported that a woman in her 20s with cerebral palsy paid 100,000 won to receive "energy treatment" but was assaulted and sexually harassed during the process. The National Revolutionary Party denied the claims, stating, "(Huh) is truly a holy person. He possesses spiritual energy and the power of the word, which grants him supernatural abilities."