Unification Church Leader Arrested in South Korea

The leader of the Unification Church was arrested on Tuesday in South Korea over allegations of bribery involving a former first lady, including the delivery of luxury gifts, prosecutors confirmed.

Arrest and Court Proceedings

• Han Hak-ja, 82, was remanded in custody at the Seoul Detention Center after the Seoul Central District Court issued an arrest warrant, citing concerns that she might tamper with evidence.
• Han had been questioned last week regarding her alleged role in bribing former first lady Kim Keon-hee and a prominent lawmaker. Prosecutors sought her arrest the following day.

The Unification Church, founded in 1954 by Han’s late husband Moon Sun-myung, has long been a subject of controversy. Moon claimed to be the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and the church’s followers are often derisively referred to as “Moonies.” The organisation operates a wide range of businesses, spanning media, tourism, and food distribution.

“We humbly accept the court’s decision,” the church said in a statement.
“We will sincerely cooperate with the ongoing investigation and trial procedures to establish the truth, and we will do our utmost to take this as an opportunity to restore trust in our church. We deeply apologise for causing concern.”

Han, who assumed leadership of the church after Moon’s death in 2012, is alleged to have ordered luxury gifts, including a designer handbag and diamond necklace, to be given to Kim Keon-hee in 2022 to gain favour with her husband, President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office that year.

• Kim Keon-hee has been arrested and indicted on charges of bribery and stock market manipulation.
• President Yoon is also in custody and stands trial over his declaration of martial law in December.
• Han additionally faces allegations of bribing a prominent member of parliament with 100 million won (US$72,000).

During her questioning last week, Han denied any wrongdoing, telling reporters:”Why would I have done that?” 

Before her arrest, the Unification Church condemned the prosecutors’ request for a warrant as “unjust persecution of a global religious leader.”

“We firmly denounce the fact that, instead of humanitarian consideration and rational judgement, excessive and coercive measures have been taken against our leader,” the church stated.

The church, which claims 10 million followers worldwide, is best known for its mass wedding ceremonies, where thousands of couples from around the world are married in stadium-sized events.

Han’s arrest marks a significant escalation in South Korea’s investigation into alleged corruption involving the Unification Church and high-ranking officials, drawing international attention to the controversial religious organisation.