Joint Investigation Team Raids Unification Church Facilities Over Embezzlement Allegations Involving Hak Ja Han

The Joint Investigation Team has conducted a search and seizure at several Unification Church facilities, including the Cheonwon Palace and Cheonjeong Palace in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, the Seoul headquarters, and the Hyojeong Global Unification Foundation. The operation, carried out on May 6, was linked to allegations of embezzlement involving the church’s internal funds.

The search and seizure warrant cited suspicions of embezzlement and occupational embezzlement under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment, etc. of Specific Economic Crimes. The investigation team named Unification Church leader Hak Ja Han and others as subjects of the allegations. This marks the first time the team has executed a search and seizure warrant against the Unification Church on embezzlement charges.

The joint investigation team reportedly applied new embezzlement charges after discovering indications of suspected internal fund embezzlement while tracking the flow of the Unification Church’s finances. The team suspects that the church’s internal funds may have been used to create a slush fund for President Han, among other purposes.

This investigation follows previous actions by the team, which executed two search and seizure warrants in January related to allegations of mass membership applications to the People Power Party. The current operation is part of a broader probe into potential collusion between the Unification Church and the Shincheonji Church.

The legal community has noted the significance of this development, as it represents a shift in the scope of the investigation. The focus on financial misconduct highlights ongoing scrutiny of the Unification Church’s internal practices and leadership. The outcome of these proceedings remains to be determined.

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