Kwon Seongdong’s First Trial on “Receiving 100 Million Won from Unification Church” Postponed to November 3

The first trial of Kwon Seongdong, a member of the People Power Party who was indicted and detained on charges including receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from the Unification Church, has been rescheduled to next month on the 3rd.

Kwon Seongdong, a member of the People Power Party accused of violating the Political Funds Act, is responding to reporters' questions as he arrives at the Kim Gunhee Special Prosecutor's Office set up in the KT Gwanghwamun Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 27th. This is the first time a sitting member of the National Assembly is being investigated by a special prosecutor over allegations related to the Unification Church. August 27, 2025. Photo by Jo Yongjun

According to the Seoul Central District Court on October 28, the 27th Criminal Division for Combined Cases (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong), which is handling Kwon’s alleged violation of the Political Funds Act, has changed the date of the first trial to 11 a.m. on November 3.

The court originally planned to hold Kwon’s first hearing at 5 p.m. on this day, but announced that the schedule had to be postponed due to extended witness examination procedures in a prior case.

During the first trial, it is expected that images of Kwon seated in the defendant’s seat will be released. The court has decided to allow courtroom photography for this initial hearing. According to Supreme Court rules regarding courtroom attendance and photography, filming is only permitted before the start of the trial. In addition, filming from the judge’s bench is prohibited, and photography must not cause any disturbance.

Kwon previously filed for a review of the legality of his detention, claiming his arrest was unjust, but the court dismissed the request. Previously, ahead of the 2022 presidential election, Kwon was indicted and detained by the Kim Gunhee Special Prosecutor’s Team (Special Prosecutor Min Junggi) on charges of receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from Yoon, the former global head of the Unification Church, in exchange for requests to resolve church-related issues.

As a sitting lawmaker, Kwon was detained on August 16 after the National Assembly passed a motion consenting to his arrest, and was indicted on October 2. In connection with these charges, the special prosecutor’s team requested a provisional seizure of Kwon’s assets, and the Seoul Central District Court granted the request.