Police Launch Probe into Kim Min-seok over 'Shincheonji Interference' Claims; Kim Apologizes, Says "There Was No Evidence"

‘Shincheonji Three-Way Secret Alliance’ Allegations Rock Democratic Party Convention
Case Assigned to Yeongdeungpo Police Station... Complainant Questioned
Kim Minseok and Song Younggil Accused of Violating Public Official Election Act, Among Other Offenses

Police have launched an investigation into a complaint against Kim Min-seok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and lawmaker Song Young-gil, who raised allegations of “Shincheonji interference” during the party’s 8·17 National Convention.

Kim Minseok, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (bottom left), attends a party lawmakers' meeting at the National Assembly on the 3rd. Yonhap News Agency

According to reporting by The Asia Business Daily on the 3rd, the Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station received the case from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency after the civic group People’s Livelihood Countermeasures Committee filed a complaint against Kim and Song on suspicion of violating the Public Official Election Act, among other offenses. The station has completed questioning the complainant.

Kim and Song are accused of undermining election fairness by raising allegations of organized interference by Shincheonji in the party’s primary ahead of the 8·17 National Convention. The committee filed a complaint with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, saying the two had raised baseless allegations of Shincheonji interference, causing confusion among party members and risking the fairness of the convention.

At a joint preliminary primary campaign speech event for Democratic Party leadership candidates in July, Kim claimed that “the essence of this convention is to break up a secret three-way alliance among anti-Lee Jae-myung forces, factionalists, and Shincheonji.” The following day, he also raised the need for a special prosecutor to investigate Shincheonji at a meeting with party leadership candidates held at the Seoul Metropolitan Council. On July 27, he urged the party on social media to cooperate with an investigation into Shincheonji.

In July, Song also disclosed on social media that he had met with former Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo and raised allegations of Shincheonji interference in the People Power Party’s 2021 presidential primary. He suggested that Hong, rather than former President Yoon Suk Yeol, would have become the party’s presidential candidate had Shincheonji not intervened.

The committee says an investigation is needed, arguing that these remarks spread allegations that Shincheonji followers had joined the Democratic Party as dues-paying members with voting rights and were organizing support for a specific candidate, thereby undermining election fairness.

Meanwhile, at a parliamentary caucus meeting at the National Assembly on the 3rd, Kim apologized over the alleged secret three-way alliance, saying, “There was no evidence,” and adding, “I am sorry to those who were harmed unintentionally.”

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