Following Kim Minseok, 'Shincheonji Investigation Chief' Park Sunwon Also Faces Police Complaint

Seominwi claims "abuse of authority and destruction of evidence"
Caucus report abruptly canceled... "They are trying to cover up the truth"

Following Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Minseok, Supreme Council member Park Sunwon, who led the party's internal investigation into allegations of Shincheonji involvement, has also been reported to the police.

Democratic Party of Korea leader Kim Minseok and Supreme Council member Park Sunwon talk during the 12th plenary session of the regular National Assembly session at the National Assembly on the 5th. Yonhap News.

According to reporting by The Asia Business Daily on November 6, the civic group Citizens' Committee for Livelihood Measures (Seominwi) filed a complaint against Park with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on November 5, accusing him of abuse of authority, destruction of evidence, defamation and dereliction of duty. Seominwi previously filed a complaint against Kim on suspicion of violating the Public Official Election Act and other offenses; an investigation is underway at the Seoul Yeongdeungpo Police Station.

In its complaint, Seominwi stated: "The party had planned to report the findings of its internal investigation into allegations that Shincheonji members had joined the party en masse, but canceled the report. It also merely said that claims by some YouTubers of a large-scale influx of Shincheonji members in a particular region were 'completely groundless.' Such irresponsible and inappropriate conduct, which insulted, deceived and humiliated party members and the public who support the Democratic Party of Korea, constitutes abuse of authority, destruction of evidence, defamation and dereliction of duty."

Park had initially been scheduled to report the findings of the internal investigation at a caucus on November 3, but the report was canceled.

The complaint was filed amid ongoing controversy over allegations of Shincheonji involvement that Kim raised during the party convention. At a caucus on November 3, Kim apologized for claiming there had been a "secret three-way alliance among anti-Myung forces, divisive forces and Shincheonji," saying, "There was no evidence of a secret three-way alliance."

At the Supreme Council meeting on November 6, he also said, "I once again apologize to everyone who was hurt, and to all party members who love the party, in the course of raising strong concerns and warnings about religious involvement in politics during the last party convention." This was his third apology, following a closed-door caucus on November 3 and the party's YouTube broadcast on November 5.

Asked at the Supreme Council meeting that day to state his position as head of the Shincheonji investigation team, Park said, "As the head of the team investigating the Shincheonji issue, I have a great deal to say," adding, "I will not say a single word unless the Supreme Council makes a separate decision."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Party allowed its lawmakers and regional committee chairs, among others, to review the findings of its internal investigation into Shincheonji from November 6 through 13. Within the party, disagreements continued over how much of the findings should be made public. Supreme Council member Lee Seong-yoon, who is considered part of the pro-Chung Cheong-rae camp, called for the party to "fully disclose to its members the source of the Shincheonji data used in the task force's investigation, when the members joined the party, and whether they joined in an organized manner."

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