Special Counsel Names 'Bribery Suspects' in Unification Church Search Warrant

The Top Two Figures Named in the Search and Seizure Warrant
Suspected of Receiving Bribes for Influence Peddling

The special investigation team led by the independent counsel for Kim Keonhee has reportedly named President Han Hakja and Lee, the chief administrative officer of the Unification Church's central administration, as suspects in the search and seizure warrant related to Unification Church facilities.

According to legal sources on the 18th, the search and seizure warrant prepared by the special investigation team specified President Han and Lee as suspects on charges including receiving bribes under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes. On this day, the special investigation team dispatched prosecutors and investigators to more than 10 locations, including the Unification Church headquarters in Gapyeong and the Unification Church Korea Association headquarters in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, to secure documents and files from PCs.

The special investigation team is investigating allegations that, between April and August 2022, the Unification Church attempted to lobby Kim Keonhee on church-related issues by providing her with expensive diamond necklaces and Chanel bags through Jeon Seongbae, known as Geonjin Beopsa. At that time, the person who directly delivered the items and the requests to Jeon was Yoon, the former global headquarters chief, who was also reportedly named as a suspect in the search and seizure warrant. The special investigation team also searched Yoon's residence on this day.

The requests included support for the Unification Church's Mekong River development project in Cambodia, the acquisition of YTN by the Unification Church, the bid to bring the United Nations Fifth Secretariat to Korea, and an invitation to the presidential inauguration ceremony.

During the prosecution's investigation prior to the case being transferred to the special investigation team, Jeon acknowledged receiving the items from Yoon but claimed to have lost them all. The prosecution conducted successive searches of Jeon, Yoon, and Kim Keonhee's residences but was unable to recover the necklace and bag. Yoon reportedly admitted to making the requests during the prosecution's investigation but stated, "I did it with the approval of Han Hakja, President of the Unification Church."

Based on the search and seizure conducted on this day, the special investigation team is expected to examine whether President Han, Lee, and other church leaders were involved in Yoon's actions.