Seoul: Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja attended a court hearing Wednesday ahead of its decision on whether to issue a warrant to arrest her over charges of bribery linked to former first lady Kim Keon Hee.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the hearing was held at the Seoul Central District Court after special counsel Min Joong-ki's team sought the warrant last week on charges of violations of the Political Funds Act and the anti-graft law, subornation of evidence destruction, and embezzlement. Han entered the court building in a wheelchair with her eyes closed and did not answer reporters' questions.
The hearing lasted five hours, and the court's decision is expected to come late Monday or early Tuesday. Han is accused of colluding with a former church official surnamed Yun to hand 100 million won (US$72,400) to People Power Party (PPP) Rep. Kweon Seong-dong in 2022 in exchange for his help in gaining favors for the church in the event of Yoon Suk Yeol's election as president later that year. Yoon went on to win the election.
Han is also suspected of involvement in gifting a luxury necklace and Chanel bags to Yoon's wife, Kim, while requesting favors, embezzling the church's money to purchase the gifts, and ordering the destruction of evidence to Yun ahead of a police investigation into her alleged overseas gambling. During the questioning, Han stated she was not interested in politics nor had she ever given money to politicians, according to sources.
The church leader also apologized over the case but shifted responsibility to the church official. "I feel sorry for the country being engulfed in turmoil because someone who was once part of my family caused trouble," she was quoted as saying by the sources. The warrant does not list allegations that the Church had thousands of its followers sign up as members of the PPP to back Kweon's bid as party leader in 2023.
The special counsel team has cited the need to determine the exact dates the members signed up and whether they had voting rights. A separate arrest warrant hearing for Han's former chief of staff, surnamed Jeong, will be held at the same court at 4 p.m. She is listed as an accomplice in most of the crimes Han is accused of.
The church has denied Han's involvement in the alleged offenses, saying they were carried out by the former church official alone. Though she voluntarily appeared for questioning Wednesday, Han snubbed three earlier summonses by the special counsel team, citing health issues following a heart procedure. The team said her appearance was likely prompted by Kweon's arrest earlier that day on charges of receiving the 100 million won.