Decision Expected as Early as the Night of the 22nd
"Risk of Evidence Destruction" vs. "Elderly and in Poor Health"
The detention hearing for Han Hakja, president of the Unification Church and the figure at the center of the so-called "state-religion collusion and state affairs manipulation" allegations involving the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the Unification Church, concluded at around 6:30 p.m. on September 22 after five hours. The results of the hearing are expected to be announced as early as late tonight.
The pretrial detention hearing for Han was presided over by Judge Jeong Jaeuk, who is in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court.
Han Hakja, president of the Unification Church, is leaving the courtroom after completing the pre-arrest suspect interrogation (warrant review) at the Seoul Central District Court on the 22nd. Photo by Yonhap News
Han is expected to move directly to the Seoul Detention Center to await the outcome of the hearing. A decision on whether she will be detained is likely to be made late tonight at the earliest, or by early tomorrow morning at the latest.
The special prosecutor’s team mobilized eight prosecutors for the hearing, including the head of the investigative team leading the probe into the Unification Church allegations. They argued that there was a risk of evidence destruction, noting that Han had failed to respond to three previous summonses and only appeared for questioning after her accomplice, Assemblyman Kwon, was detained. The special prosecutor’s team submitted a 420-page opinion emphasizing the necessity of detention and prepared a 220-page presentation to persuade the court during the hearing.
In contrast, Han’s legal team argued that, at 83 years old and in deteriorating health, she posed no risk of flight or evidence destruction. They also claimed that the special prosecutor’s team had failed to present evidence beyond the testimony of former chief Yoon. Han’s side maintained their position that any lobbying activities by the Unification Church were the personal actions of former global headquarters chief Yoon and that Han was not aware of them.
At the end of the hearing, Han reportedly stated in her final remarks that she "has no interest in politics, does not understand politics, and has never given money to a politician."
Han is accused of conspiring with Yoon, the former global headquarters chief of the Unification Church, to deliver 100 million won in political funds to Assemblyman Kwon in January 2022 in exchange for requesting support for the Unification Church from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, which constitutes a violation of the Political Funds Act.
She is also accused of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act by being involved in delivering an expensive necklace and a Chanel bag to Mrs. Kim through Jeon Seongbae, also known as "Geonjin Bopsa," between April and July 2022, in order to lobby on behalf of church interests. Additional charges include embezzlement of church funds to purchase the necklace and bag for Mrs. Kim, and instructing Yoon in October 2022 to destroy evidence in preparation for a police investigation into her alleged overseas gambling.
However, the current detention warrant does not include charges of violating the Political Parties Act related to allegedly orchestrating mass membership of Unification Church followers to support Assemblyman Kwon as party leader ahead of the 2023 People Power Party convention.
On the evening of September 22, a detention hearing was also scheduled for Jeong, the former chief of staff to the president of the Unification Church. Jeong is known as the deputy director of Cheonmuwon, the highest administrative body of the Unification Church, making him the second-in-command and Han’s closest aide. He is mentioned as an accomplice in most of the charges listed in Han’s warrant.
The special prosecutor’s team reportedly confirmed that Jeong’s notebook contained notes indicating that police were investigating Han’s alleged gambling and that a search and seizure was imminent.
The indictment against Yoon, who was previously brought to trial, states that the Unification Church sought to realize the ideology of "state-religion unity," which holds that the nation should be governed according to the will of Han, by approaching the former president and his wife to lobby on church-related issues.
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