South Korean Church Leader Arrested Over Alleged Bribery Involving Ex-President’s Wife
South Korean authorities have taken Hak Ja Han, the global head of the Unification Church, into custody on accusations that she bribed the wife of imprisoned former President Yoon Suk Yeol in a bid to influence the country’s legislative election.
Investigators told PulseNets that Ms Hak was arrested on Tuesday following Seoul Central District Court’s approval of a warrant seeking her detention. The 82-year-old widow of Sun Myung Moon, the late South Korean founder of the church, is alleged to have instructed senior church figures to deliver bribes to Mr Yoon’s wife, Kim Keon Hee, in return for election interference and stock manipulation.
Prosecutors obtained by PulseNets revealed that Ms Hak is suspected of giving Ms Kim expensive gifts and cash payments. They further alleged that she channelled “71,800 US dollars to Kweon Seong-dong, a conservative lawmaker and fierce Yoon loyalist, as part of a wider bribery arrangement.”
A senior official who spoke to PulseNets under condition of anonymity said,
“This is a significant breakthrough in the probe surrounding bribery, stock dealings, and candidate selection manipulation connected to the Yoon network.”
The arrest comes nearly a month after former First Lady Kim Keon Hee was herself arrested and formally charged with bribery and related fraud offences amid an expanding investigation into South Korea’s martial law crisis and political scandals tied to the former presidential couple.
The Unification Church had previously criticised what it called a politically motivated move against its leader. In a statement obtained by PulseNets, the church said,
“Mrs Hak appeared for questioning last week despite recovering from a heart procedure. Targeting an internationally recognised religious figure at such a moment reflects deep prosecutorial bias.”
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However, prosecutors argued her detention was unavoidable, citing risks of evidence tampering. A Justice Ministry source told PulseNets, “Given the seriousness of the charges and potential for evidence destruction, keeping her in custody was necessary.” Hak Ja Han is currently being held at a detention centre on the outskirts of Seoul as the investigation continues.
