Key facts
- Special counsel seeks 13-year prison term for Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja.
- Han is accused of bribing former first lady Kim Keon Hee with luxury items.
- She also faces charges for allegedly giving 100 million won to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong.
- The prosecution cited collusion with political forces and intervention in elections as grave crimes.
- Han denies the allegations, claiming a former church official acted alone.
A special counsel team is seeking a 13-year prison sentence for Han Hak-ja, a leader within the Unification Church, on multiple charges including bribery and violations of the Political Funds Act. The prosecution alleges that Han, through an intermediary, gifted luxury items such as a necklace and Chanel bags to Kim Keon Hee, the wife of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, in July 2022, in exchange for favors for the church.
Further charges against Han include allegations of colluding with former church officials to provide 100 million won (approximately $66,400) to Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the main opposition People Power Party in January 2022. The special prosecutors contend that Han sought Kweon's assistance to secure favorable treatment for the church should Yoon win the presidential election, which he subsequently did.
The prosecution team, led by special counsel Min Joong-ki, also recommended prison terms for other individuals involved in the case. These include a 10-year sentence for Han's former chief of staff and a 3 1/2-year term for Yun Young-ho, who previously headed the church's global headquarters.
During the trial, the prosecution argued that the defendants' actions, which involved using substantial funds to collaborate with political entities and interfere in elections and governance, represent a serious offense that undermines the constitutional principle of separation between religion and politics and damages representative democracy. Han, however, has denied these accusations, asserting that former church official Yun acted independently.