Kim Gunhee, Kwon Seongdong, and Yoon Youngho to Receive First Trial Verdict on January 28

Kim Gunhee, former Unification Church World Headquarters Director Yoon Youngho, and Representative Kwon Seongdong of the People Power Party, who are all implicated in allegations involving lobbying for Unification Church-related issues and the receipt of bribes and political funds, will receive their first trial verdicts on January 28 next year.

Mrs. Kim Gunhee and Representative Kwon Seongdong of the People Power Party are each undergoing criminal trials at the Seoul Central District Court.

According to the legal community on December 17, the 27th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong) will hold a sentencing hearing at 2:10 p.m. on January 28 for Mrs. Kim’s case involving violations of the Capital Markets Act and the Political Funds Act, as well as charges of receiving bribes under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

At 3:00 p.m., sentencing hearings will follow for former Director Yoon Youngho, who is accused of providing bribes to Mrs. Kim and systematically supporting lawmakers of the People Power Party, and for Representative Kwon Seongdong, who is accused of receiving 100 million won in political funds from Yoon along with lobbying for Unification Church-related issues. All three individuals, who were indicted by Special Prosecutor Min Junggi’s team in connection with Unification Church-related allegations, will face their ‘day of fate’ at the same time.

Previously, Mrs. Kim was indicted and detained on August 29 on charges of participating in the Deutsche Motors stock price manipulation scheme from October 2010 to December 2012, allegedly gaining illicit profits of approximately 810 million won. She is also accused of conspiring with former President Yoon Sukyeol between June 2021 and March 2022 to receive the results of 58 opinion polls worth about 270 million won from Myung Taegyun, and, between April and July 2022, conspiring with Jeon Seongbae (known as Geonjin Bopsa) to receive bribes totaling 80 million won-including a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag-from a Unification Church official in exchange for lobbying for church support.

At the sentencing recommendation hearing on December 3, the special prosecutor’s team requested the court to sentence Mrs. Kim to 11 years in prison, a fine of 2 billion won, and forfeiture of 811.44 million won for the Deutsche Motors stock manipulation and Unification Church bribery charges, and to 4 years in prison and forfeiture of 137.2 million won for receiving opinion poll results from Mr. Myung.

Former Director Yoon was indicted on August 18 on charges including providing Mrs. Kim with a Graff diamond necklace and a Chanel bag in 2022. The special prosecutor believes he provided these bribes in an attempt to secure support for Unification Church projects such as the Mekong River development in Cambodia, the acquisition of YTN, the bid to host the United Nations Fifth Office in Korea, and invitations to the presidential inauguration. At the sentencing recommendation hearing on December 10, the special prosecutor’s team requested a total of 4 years in prison (2 years for violating the Political Funds Act and 2 years for embezzlement and violating the Anti-Graft Act).

Representative Kwon was indicted on October 2 on charges of receiving 100 million won in illegal political funds from former Director Yoon in January 2022, together with a request to promote Unification Church issues as national policy in exchange for delivering church members’ votes and organizational support for the 20th presidential election if former President Yoon won.

On this day, the special prosecutor’s team stated that Representative Kwon “colluded with a specific religious group, undermined constitutional values, and betrayed the public’s trust,” and requested the court to sentence him to 4 years in prison and forfeiture of 100 million won. In his final statement, Representative Kwon pleaded not guilty, stating, “I never received 100 million won. I feel a pain that pierces my heart.”