Seoul: A special counsel team on Wednesday raided the headquarters of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), as it widened a probe into bribery allegations surrounding former first lady Kim Keon Hee in connection to the Unification Church. The team led by special counsel Min Joong-ki was executing a search and seizure warrant against the PPP's headquarters in western Seoul as part of its expanding investigation into corruption allegations involving Kim, who has been arrested on charges including corruption and stock manipulation.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Min's team is examining accusations that Jeon Seong-bae, a shaman linked to Kim, and a key Unification Church official, surnamed Yoon, attempted to recruit church members to join the PPP to influence its leadership race in 2023 in favor of Rep. Kweon Seong-dong. Jeon and the church official reportedly exchanged texts concerning then-President Yoon Suk Yeol's support for Kweon.
The investigation has also revealed that the church official voiced his support for Yoon during the 2022 presidential election to Kweon and others close to Yoon. In exchange, the official allegedly sought governmental backing for the Unification Church. The church official, who was detained late last month, has reportedly informed special prosecutors that he provided funds to Kweon and others since 2021. Min's team conducted a raid on Kweon's residence and offices last month to collect evidence.
Kweon has denied receiving any political funds from the Unification Church, which has also refuted claims of making illegal donations to any specific individual. Additionally, the team is separately investigating allegations that Kim and her husband received free opinion polls from self-proclaimed power broker Myung Tae-kyun before the 2022 presidential election in return for securing the nomination of former PPP Rep. Kim Young-sun for a parliamentary by-election later that year.