The president of the Unification Church, Han Hak-ja, who is facing charges of violating the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act and the Political Funds Act, is seen leaving the court after attending a pretrial detention hearing at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 22nd.
Han Hak-ja, suspected of soliciting various issues related to the Unification Church to former President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife, has completed her second special prosecutor investigation after being detained.
The special prosecutor’s team, led by Min Joong-gi, summoned President Han on the 29th from 10 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. to investigate charges including violations of the Political Funds Act. This marks her second appearance since her arrest on the 23rd. The transport vehicle carrying Han entered the building housing the special prosecutor’s office at 9:51 a.m. that day.
During the investigation, it is known that the special prosecutor questioned President Han about six allegations, including those related to People’s Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong and First Lady Kim Kun-hee. President Han is accused of conspiring with former Unification Church World Headquarters director Yoon Young-ho to provide luxury gifts worth a total of 83 million won to Mrs. Kim while soliciting church-related issues (violation of the Improper Solicitation and Graft Act).
Other allegations include misuse of church funds to prepare the gifts (embezzlement), mobilizing church members for the People’s Power Party’s leadership election in 2023, and ordering the destruction of evidence after hearing from Rep. Kwon in October 2022 about investigations into Unification Church officials’ gambling in the U.S. (instruction of evidence destruction).
During the investigation, it is reported that President Han claimed she did not receive related reports from former World Headquarters director Yoon Young-ho.