Key facts
- Shincheonji Church of Jesus founder Lee Man-hee indicted under detention.
- Charges include obstruction of business and Political Parties Act violations.
- Suspected of forcing 56,000+ followers into the People Power Party (PPP).
- Alleged goal was to influence PPP's 2022 presidential primary and 2024 general election primaries.
- Seven other sect executives also indicted, three detained.
SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a non-mainstream religious sect, was indicted under detention on Monday. He faces charges of obstruction of business and violations of the Political Parties Act.
The indictment stems from allegations that Lee forced at least 56,000 church members to join the main opposition People Power Party (PPP) between July 2021 and January 2024. The goal was reportedly to influence the outcome of the party's 2022 presidential primary and its 2024 general election primaries.
According to the joint police-prosecution task force, some 6,482 sect followers joined the PPP in July 2021, followed by 2,873 in December 2021, and approximately 12,044 in August 2023. The period of these alleged forced enrollments largely overlaps with the time the PPP was the ruling party under former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Along with Lee, seven former and current executives of the sect were also indicted, with three of them being detained.