Special Investigation Team Raids Church in Chae Sangbyeong Case... National Council of Korean Churches Demands Apology for Treating Witness as Suspect

Search and Seizure at Yoido Full Gospel Church and Far East Broadcasting Company on the 18th
Pastor Younghoon Lee's Residence Included, Mobile Phone Confiscated
National Council of Korean Churches: "Wrong to Treat Witness as Suspect"
"Voluntary Submission and Statement Should Have Come First"
Council Demands Apology from Special Investigation Team Regarding Chae Sangbyeong Case

The National Council of Korean Churches has expressed regret over the special investigation team's search and seizure of Yoido Full Gospel Church and Far East Broadcasting Company on the 18th. The National Council of Korean Churches is the largest Protestant umbrella organization, with 36 denominations and 64,500 member churches.

Pastor Jonghyuk Kim, President of the National Council of Korean Churches. National Council of Korean Churches

On the 22nd, the National Council of Korean Churches released a statement in the name of President Jonghyuk Kim, saying, "The special investigation team, which is investigating the death of the late Marine Chae Sangbyeong, conducted a search and seizure at Yoido Full Gospel Church and the missionary broadcaster Far East Broadcasting Company." The statement added, "It is shocking that the search and seizure included not only the representative's residence and personal belongings, but also church facilities."

President Kim stated, "The Korean church deeply sympathizes with the effort to uncover the truth about the death of a young man who lost his life due to an unjust order, and is willing to cooperate." However, he emphasized, "Any exercise of public authority over the church, such as a search and seizure, must adhere to the principles of legitimacy for public safety and order, appropriateness of means, minimal infringement, and balance of legal interests."

He further commented on the search and seizure involving Pastor Younghoon Lee of Yoido Full Gospel Church, stating, "Since the pastor in question is being treated as a witness, not as a suspect, voluntary submission of materials or taking a statement should have been prioritized over compulsory measures such as a search and seizure." He argued, "A comprehensive search of the entire office of the church president at Yoido Full Gospel Church based solely on suspicion is likely to lack specific criminal charges and direct relevance."

In addition, the Council called for the following: ▲ State authorities must respect church sanctuaries as centers of religious practice; ▲ An apology should be made to the public for treating a witness like a suspect and conducting a search and seizure of the church; ▲ All future exercises of public authority should be carried out with careful consideration of the religious symbolism and communal impact on the church.

According to Yoido Full Gospel Church, the search and seizure conducted on the 18th targeted both the residence and the office of Pastor Younghoon Lee. The special investigation team reportedly confiscated Pastor Lee's mobile phone and numerous documents. Pastor Lee has stated that he has never lobbied any relevant agency or public official regarding the death of Chae Sangbyeong, has never mentioned the matter to anyone around him, and has not even received a request for prayer regarding the case.