'Moonies' church leader jailed for two years over bribery offences
Summary
Han Hak-ja, leader of the Unification Church in South Korea, was sentenced to two years in prison for giving expensive gifts to the country’s former first lady, Kim Keon Hee, as part of bribery and political funding crimes. The court found that Han’s church provided luxury items worth about $58,000 in exchange for favors, marking the first official proof of the church’s attempt to influence politics.Key Facts
- Han Hak-ja is 83 years old and leads the Unification Church, also known as The Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.
- Han was sentenced to two years in prison for bribery, related to giving two Chanel bags and a diamond necklace to Kim Keon Hee.
- The gifts were valued at 80 million won (around $57,900).
- Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, was sentenced to 20 months in jail for accepting these bribes.
- Prosecutors said the gifts were given between April and July 2022 in exchange for business and political favors.
- Photos released by prosecutors showed $19 million in cash found in Han’s personal safe.
- The Unification Church was founded in South Korea in the 1950s by Sun Myung Moon and is known for mass weddings and its controversial reputation.
- The church has political connections in South Korea, Japan, and the U.S., and is banned or restricted in some places.
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