South Korean police raided offices of the Unification Church.

(CLO) On December 15, South Korean police conducted a large-scale raid and seizure operation targeting the offices of the Unification Church.

The expanded investigation revolves around allegations that the church bribed politicians from both the ruling and opposition parties, threatening to severely damage the reputation of both the political and religious communities.

A special investigation team from the National Police Agency searched and seized documents at a total of 10 locations.

Headquarters of the Unification Church in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Photo: News1

The targets included key facilities of the Unification Church such as its headquarters in Gapyeong, offices in Yongsan District (Seoul), and the Cheonjeonggung residence – the home of the current leader of the Unification Church, Han Hak-ja.

Notably, the operation did not stop at religious establishments. Police also simultaneously searched the residences and offices of former Minister of Oceans Chun Jae-soo, as well as the homes of two former lawmakers, Lim Jong-seong and Kim Gyu-hwan. In their initial response, these former officials all denied all allegations of bribery.

At the heart of the investigation is the main suspect, Han Hak-ja, the head of the Unification Church. Han is also currently on trial in a separate case alleging she gave lavish gifts to former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee. Another suspect is Yun Young-ho, a former church official, who is being prosecuted on charges of direct bribery.

The scandal originated from the shocking testimony of Yun Young-ho himself in court during the trial of Han Hak-ja and the former First Lady of South Korea.

Yun Young-ho revealed that the Unification Church had a policy of providing financial support to politicians of all factions. This testimony prompted a broader investigation.

The complexity is further highlighted by the fact that South Korean police sent officers to the office of special prosecutor Min Joong-ki, suspecting that his team did not fully hand over the case files when the case was transferred.

Source: https://congluan.vn/canh-sat-han-quoc-dot-kich-cac-van-phong-cua-giao-hoi-thong-nhat-10322616.html