Jeon Seongbae: "Delivered Chanel Bag and Necklace to Kim Gunhee's Side, but Not Guilty Under the Law"

Jeon Seongbae Faces First Trial Over Alleged Unification Church Solicitation
Special Prosecutor: "The Essence Is Jeon's Abuse of State Affairs by Parasitizing Power"

Jeon Seongbae, a shaman who was indicted and detained on charges of conspiring with First Lady Kim Gunhee to receive solicitations from the Unification Church, admitted in his first trial that he delivered a Chanel bag and an expensive necklace to Kim's side. However, he argued that he could not be punished because the legal requirements for a crime were not met.

Jeon Seongbae, a shaman identified as the channel through which various solicitations were conveyed to Kim Gunhee, is entering the West building of KT Gwanghwamun in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the Minjungki Special Prosecutor's Office is located on August 18, 2025. Photo by Yoon Dongju

The 33rd Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Jinkwan) held the first trial on the 14th for Jeon, who was charged with aggravated bribery under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes and violations of the Political Funds Act.

During the trial, Jeon's legal team acknowledged the facts of various suspicions that emerged during the investigation but argued that the legal requirements were not satisfied. They stated, "We admit that in 2022, Jeon received a Chanel bag, Cheonsusam concentrate tea, and a Graff necklace from Yoon Youngho, the former global head of the Unification Church, and delivered them to Yoo Kyungok, a former Blue House official, around that time." However, they argued, "There was no prior solicitation, only a post-facto solicitation, so the charge of aggravated bribery does not apply."

They further explained, "For aggravated bribery to be established, money or valuables must be exchanged under the pretext of brokering between the person requesting the arrangement and the public official. The valuables were given to the defendant on the premise that they would be delivered to Kim Gunhee, which means ownership was intended for Kim." In other words, Jeon only temporarily possessed the valuables before their final delivery to Kim.

Regarding the charge that Jeon received a total of 30 million won from Yoon in exchange for requesting the position of 'Unification Group Advisor,' Jeon's side also admitted, "We acknowledge the receipt." However, Yoon's side argued, "The Unification Church valued the defendant's network and there is a possibility that the contract was made to receive continuous and regular advice on various issues," adding, "For the crime to be established, the work must be specifically identified, so this does not constitute brokering."

On the other hand, the Kim Gunhee Special Prosecutor's Office (Special Prosecutor Min Jungki) countered, "The defendant used his connections with the president, his spouse, and so-called 'Yoon core associates' to act as a channel for influencing national policy and as a broker," and argued, "The essence of this case is the pursuit of personal gain and state manipulation by a shaman who parasitized power." They emphasized, "Public trust in state affairs has been undermined, and above all, the defendant served as a link for collusion between Kim Gunhee and the Unification Church, so severe punishment is necessary."

The court decided to proceed with full-scale hearings, including witness examinations, starting on the 28th.