Unification Church President Han Hakja Sentenced to 2 Years in First Trial: "Saw Presidential Election as Opportunity for Organizational Expansion"

Sentenced to One Year in Prison Each

for Violations of the Political Funds Act and Improper Solicitation and Graft Act

Han Hak-ja, president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (Unification Church), who was brought to trial on charges of collusion between religion and politics, was sentenced to imprisonment in the first trial.

Han Hak-ja, president of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (Unification Church), who had refused the special prosecutor's summons three times, appeared at the Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor's Office set up in the KT Gwanghwamun Building in Jongno-gu, Seoul on September 17 last year. Photo by Yonhap News

The Criminal Agreement Division 27 of the Seoul Central District Court (Presiding Judge Woo Inseong) held a sentencing hearing for President Han on the afternoon of August 31, sentencing her to one year in prison for violating the Political Funds Act, and an additional one year in prison for violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act.

The court stated, "The Unification Church used its financial resources and viewed the 20th presidential election as an opportunity for expanding its influence. After supporting a candidate who was favorable to the Church, the crime was committed with the intent to secure state backing for church policies and to expand its political influence following the inauguration of the new administration."

However, the court noted as mitigating factors that "she has no prior criminal record and her efforts for world peace as a religious leader should be taken into account."

Yoon Young-ho, former head of Unification Church’s World Headquarters, who was tried together, was sentenced to six months in prison. Jeong, former head secretary to the church president, was sentenced to eight months in prison with a two-year probation for violating the Political Funds Act, and another eight months in prison with a two-year probation for violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act. Lee, former head of finance and spouse of Yoon, was handed a six-month sentence with one year of probation.

The court found the main charges against these individuals to be valid. It first acknowledged that Han, Jeong, and Yoon colluded in January 2022 to deliver 100 million won in political funds to former People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong, requesting support for the Unification Church from the Yoon Suk-yeol administration. It was also found guilty that in July 2022, they attempted to offer lavish gifts to First Lady Kim Keon-hee via Jeon Seong-bae, known as Geonjin Beopsa, for solicitation. The court determined that the embezzlement of Unification Church funds during the process of delivering these valuables was also proven.

The court also found Han, Yoon, and Jeong guilty of splitting a total of 144 million won of Unification Church’s group funds to make political donations to legislator(s) of the People Power Party and others in March 2022.

However, regarding the charge of embezzling 210 million won by falsely accounting for missionary support and remitting it to five church districts, the court ruled that “there is no evidence of intent for illegal personal gain,” and therefore acquitted them of this charge.

The court dismissed the charges against Han, Jeong, and Yoon concerning the October 2022 allegation of ordering the destruction of evidence after receiving investigative information regarding President Han’s overseas casino gambling, as well as the charge of embezzling 787 million won by allegedly channeling political funds to politicians in Nepal and Senegal between May and July 2022, stating that these were not subject to special prosecutor investigation under the relevant law.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.