Police Conduct Search and Seizure at Heo Kyung-young's Religious Facility 'Haneulgung' on Fraud Charges

23 Investigators Deployed... Investigation Also Underway for Female Devotee Sexual Harassment Case

The police conducted a search and seizure at a religious facility operated by Heo Kyung-young, honorary representative of the National Revolutionary Party, who is accused of fraud and other charges.

On the 5th, the Anti-Corruption Economic Crime Investigation Unit 2 of the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency was reported by Yonhap News to be conducting a search and seizure at Haneulgung, a religious facility operated by Heo Kyung-young, honorary representative of the National Revolutionary Party. At 10:44 a.m. that day, the police deployed 23 investigators to begin the search and seizure at Haneulgung in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province.

Heo Kyung-young, Honorary Representative of the National Revolutionary Party, who was accused of sexual harassment by female believers of the religious facility 'Haneulgung' he operates, is answering questions from reporters at the Northern Gyeonggi Police Agency on July 19.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, some followers of Haneulgung filed a complaint in December last year, alleging that Heo and officials of Haneulgung sold them spiritual food at exorbitantly higher prices than the cost price. The charges listed in the complaint include fraud, violation of the Food Sanitation Act, and violation of the Political Funds Act. These followers are reported to claim that their damages amount to tens of billions of won. A police official told Yonhap News, "We have deployed 23 investigators and are conducting a search and seizure at Haneulgung in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province since this morning, but we cannot disclose detailed investigation information."

Separately, the Women and Juvenile Crime Investigation Division of the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency is investigating a complaint alleging that Heo sexually harassed female followers under the pretext of counseling. The complainants filed charges against Heo in February for sexual harassment in a crowded public place. In relation to this, the police conducted a search and seizure on April 15 at Haneulgung and the Piccadilly building lecture hall in Seoul to secure evidence, and summoned Heo for questioning three times on July 12, 19, and 23. Heo denied the sexual harassment allegations, stating, "It is not true at all," and explained, "During the counseling process, I obtained consent from the parties involved and provided spiritual energy."

Heo Kyung-young, honorary representative, appeared at the Gyeonggi Northern Provincial Police Agency as a suspect around 3 p.m. on July 23 for the third investigation. When asked by reporters, "Do you admit to the charges?" he replied, "I am not guilty." He added, "Those people (the followers who filed complaints against me) should be investigated. They sued me to get money, and I filed a counterclaim for extortion and false accusation." However, the police believe that Heo may have psychologically dominated the followers and committed sexual harassment, and are investigating by changing the charge from sexual harassment in a crowded public place to quasi-forced sexual assault.