Unification Church chief accused of bribing former first girl whose husband Yoon Suk-yeol fell from grace final 12 months.
Revealed On 18 Sep 2025
South Korean prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant for Han Hak-ja, chief of the Unification Church, over bribery allegations linked to a former first girl.
The request on Thursday got here a day after Han was questioned over her alleged function in bribing former first girl Kim Keon-hee and conservative lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong.
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The fees got here amid a drive to analyze Kim and her husband, former President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was compelled from workplace final 12 months after imposing martial legislation.
“We now have requested an arrest warrant for Han earlier right now,” prosecutor Park Sang-jin mentioned. “The fees towards her embody violation of political funds act, anti-graft legislation, incitement to destroy proof and embezzlement.”
“We thought of the danger of Han tampering with proof to be very excessive, which led us to hunt the warrant.”
The Unification Church criticised the investigators’ try and arrest Han, insisting she doesn’t pose a flight threat or a risk of destroying proof and has cooperated with the investigation regardless of well being issues.
Based in 1954 by Han’s late husband, the Unification Church has lengthy been the topic of controversy and criticism.
Retaining a cult-like tradition, followers are referred to disparagingly as “Moonies”. The church’s teachings are centred on Moon’s function because the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, and it carries out mass weddings.
The church’s attain extends far past faith, spanning companies from media and tourism to meals distribution. Han assumed management after Moon’s demise in 2012.
Han is suspected of ordering the supply of luxurious presents, together with a designer purse and diamond necklace, to Kim in 2022 to curry favour along with her husband, who grew to become president that 12 months.
Kim was arrested and indicted last month on costs of bribery and inventory market manipulation. Her legal professionals deny the allegations. In the meantime, her husband – also in custody – is standing trial over his short-lived declaration of martial legislation in December.
The couple fell from grace after Yoon’s martial legislation declaration briefly suspended civilian rule earlier than it was overturned by opposition lawmakers.
Yoon was impeached and removed from office in April over the try.
Han additionally faces allegations of bribing Kweon with 100 million received ($72,000).
A Seoul court docket issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday for Kweon, citing the danger he may tamper with proof.
Han, who was questioned for almost 10 hours on Wednesday, denied claims she directed the alleged bribes, pinning the blame on a former church official who has since been arrested.
A Seoul court docket is predicted to overview the validity of Park’s arrest warrant request for Han early subsequent week.
