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South Korea Seeks Arrest Warrant for Unification Church Leader Over Corruption Allegations

Prosecutors cite a high risk of evidence tampering in seeking her detention.

Une cérémonie de mariages de masse organisée par l'Église de l'Unification à Gapyeong, le 12 avril 2025 en Corée du Sud
L'ancienne Première dame de Corée du Sud, Kim Keon Hee, arrive au tribunal pour assister à une audience visant à réviser son mandat d'arrêt, le 12 août 2025 à Séoul
La dirigeante de l'Église de l'Unification (secte Moon), Han Hak-ja? assiste à une cérémonie de mariage de masse au Cheongshim Peace World Center, le 12 avril 2025 à Gapyeong, en Corée du Sud

Overview

  • The warrant request was filed Thursday, with Prosecutor Park Sang-jin citing a very high risk of evidence manipulation.
  • Prosecutors accuse Han Hak-ja of violating political funding and anti-corruption laws, inciting the destruction of evidence, and embezzlement.
  • A Seoul court will examine the request early next week to decide whether to detain the 82-year-old.
  • Investigators allege she ordered luxury gifts in 2022 for Kim Keon Hee to curry favor with then-president Yoon Suk Yeol; Han denies wrongdoing after hours of questioning.
  • The probe has already ensnared the former first lady and the ousted president and includes a suspected 100 million-won bribe to lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong, while the church calls the action unjust persecution.