Unification Church probe widens; notebook reveals alleged political outreach

Miami Herald

25-07-2025

SEOUL, July 25 (UPI) -- South Korean prosecutors are expanding their investigation into the Unification Church, citing potential violations of political funding and anti-corruption laws.
The inquiry has gained momentum following the emergence of financial records and a handwritten notebook that allegedly documents attempts by Church-affiliated figures to cultivate influence within the country's political establishment.
According to the special prosecutor's team, authorities have obtained and are reviewing three years' worth of the Unification Church's internal accounting data, including donation records, expenditures and other financial documents.
Prosecutors emphasized that the investigation does not concern religious doctrine or faith, but rather the suspected misuse of religious funds for political purposes.
Evidence from former executive's notebook
A pivotal piece of evidence surfaced in a report Wednesday by SBS News, which published contents of a notebook allegedly belonging to former senior Unification Church executive Yoon Young-ho.
The notebook reportedly contains entries describing a phone call made by Jeon Seong-bae, a self-described spiritual adviser with ties to the Church, directly to then-First Lady Kim Keon-hee.
According to SBS, the call -- made in the presence of Yoon and ruling People Power Party lawmakers Kwon Seong-dong and Yoon Han-hong -- included requests for government support of Cambodia-related development projects and other political favors potentially benefiting the Unification Church.
Both lawmakers have denied involvement or knowledge of such requests. Prosecutors are investigating whether the outreach reflected a broader strategy by church affiliates to build political access through informal channels.
Receipts for luxury items found
Separate from the notebook, the special prosecutor's team has reportedly uncovered receipts for high-end luxury items, including a Graff diamond necklace and two Chanel handbags.
These receipts were recovered not from Yoon's personal residence, but from inside the Church's Seoul headquarters -- an issue now at the center of a dispute between the Church and its former executive.
In a press release, the Unification Church stated that the purchases were made personally by Yoon, who then allegedly funneled the transactions through Church accounts using his wife, who served as a financial director. Church officials claimed they were unaware of the spending and characterized it as a personal deviation.
In response, Yoon's side asserted that the documents' presence at Church headquarters indicates institutional involvement, not individual misconduct.
"There is no reason for a religious organization's main office to store personal receipts for luxury goods," one legal representative said. Prosecutors, who questioned Yoon for more than 14 hours, are now tracing the flow of funds to determine whether Church finances were used for personal purchases.
Signs of political mobilization
Prosecutors are also reviewing reports that in 2022, Yoon circulated People Power Party membership application forms to Church members, possibly to consolidate political influence. While not illegal per se, the act raises questions about whether the Unification Church directed members' political activity in a coordinated manner.
The investigation has been further bolstered by the acquisition of internal memos and donor records from the past three fiscal years, which could provide evidence of systematic diversion of offerings for political or personal benefit.
Prosecutors clarify: Not a case about faith
On July 18, Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki issued a public statement underscoring the non-religious focus of the probe.
"This is not a probe into beliefs or doctrine," he said. "This is an inquiry into violations of the Political Funds Act, the Anti-Graft Act and related criminal statutes."
In response, the Unification Church issued its own statement Thursday, condemning the investigation as "a clear violation of religious freedom." The Church also accused media outlets of defamatory and distorted coverage and warned of potential legal action against journalists and commentators.
Historical pattern of deflecting accountability
Legal experts and observers point out that this is not the first time the Unification Church has invoked religious liberty in response to mounting scrutiny.
In March, a Japanese court ordered the dissolution of the Church's local corporation, concluding that abusive fundraising practices -- including those linked to the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe -- violated the public interest. The court found that the Church had "coercively exploited religious authority" to solicit excessive donations.
In the United States, the Church lost a 14-year legal battle over UCI, a nonprofit governed by a board under the chairmanship of Hyun Jin Preston Moon, the third son of the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon.
The D.C. Court of Appeals ruled that the case involved questions of religious doctrine and church organization which courts were forbidden to rule on by the religious freedom clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The court, therefore, rejected the Church's power play to assert control over UCI.
Looking ahead
Prosecutors have already summoned Yoon for questioning and are expected to call other senior Unification Church officials in the coming weeks. The inquiry continues to widen as investigators analyze seized documents, financial ledgers and digital communications.
As new allegations emerge, legal analysts note a growing debate in South Korea over how democracies should balance protections for religious freedom with the need to safeguard public accountability -- especially if spiritual institutions operate as political or financial actors cloaked in religious legitimacy.
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