Unification Church summons leaders to S. Korean headquarters amid investigation
The Unification Church has summoned its leaders and executives worldwide to its South Korean headquarters amid a sweeping investigation into its alleged ties to the country’s now-expelled presidential couple, a Korean media outlet reported Wednesday.
According to CBS NoCut News, the religious group, which was founded by the late Sun Myung Moon and is known to have branches in more than 100 countries, sent an official notice to executives and staff at all of its branches and chapters, to join a period of “special devotion” in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province.
The gathering, scheduled to run until Sept. 22, is expected to draw several hundred to over a thousand members from both Korea and abroad.
“We will hold a special devotion to pray for the well-being of the 'True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind.' We ask all our leaders around the world, regardless of whether you can attend in person, to unite with one heart and join in offering devotion,” the statement said.
The term “True Parents of Heaven, Earth and Humankind” refers to the late founder and his wife Han Hak-ja, who currently leads the church. Her followers believe she became the Messiah after Moon’s death in 2012.
Han and the church are under investigation led by a special counsel team looking into allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee.
Han is suspected of giving Kim luxury goods worth about 80 million won ($57,600), including a Chanel handbag and a Graff diamond necklace. She is also alleged to have conspired with a Unification Church official surnamed Yoon to deliver 100 million won in illegal political funds to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the Yoon-aligned People Power Party, in return for favors related to church affairs.
The church is also suspected of orchestrating systematic support for former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s campaign in 2022, by directing its members to join the conservative party en masse ahead of its presidential primary.
Special counsel Min Joong-ki’s team summoned Han for questioning Monday, but Han refused to comply, citing health reasons. She is summoned again on Thursday, but her legal team said she would not be able to comply again. She has been hospitalized at a local hosptial since last week.
Meanwhile, Han denied the allegations, saying, "I had never instructed any illegal political requests or monetary transactions," in a video statement released on Aug. 31.
In response to claims that the upcoming mass gathering was linked to the probe, the church described it as an “education program for church leaders.”
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