South Korea court gives Unification Church leader 2 years prison

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SEOUL: A South Korean court sentenced the leader of the secretive and powerful Unification Church on Monday to two years in prison for bribing officials, including the then president’s wife.
Han Hak‑ja, 83, was accused of providing luxury items—including a designer handbag—to former First Lady Kim Keon Hee while her husband, President Yoon Suk Yeol, was in office, seeking policy favors.
She appeared for sentencing in a wheelchair, dressed in hospital pyjamas and wearing a surgical mask, accompanied by aides.
The Unification Church possesses a broad spectrum of business interests encompassing media, education, and food distribution, and has long received scrutiny over its political ties within South Korea.

In a press release to AFP, the church pledged to appeal, emphasizing that it does not accept the court’s decision that Han issued directions for the alleged wrongdoing or was aware of its illegal nature.
‘We cannot accept the court’s finding that Han ordered these actions or was aware of and approved their unlawful purpose,’ the organization stated.

Additional charges allege that Han provided illegal funds to former lawmaker Kweon Seon‑dong, who is currently incarcerated for receiving a bribe. ‘We confirm she has been sentenced to two years,’ a Unification Church spokesperson told AFP.

‘Considering her position as the apex of the Unification Church and her esteemed role, a prison term is unavoidable,’ the court added in its ruling, according to Yonhap.

Established in 1954 by Han’s late husband Moon Sun‑myung, the Unification Church has attracted scrutiny due to doctrines that regard Moon as the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Following Moon’s passing in 2012, Han assumed leadership, becoming the congregation’s revered “True Mother.” Her arrest in September 2025 linked her to a bribery investigation involving former First Lady Kim Keon Hee.

Her imprisonment has sent shockwaves through the church, which claims tens of millions of followers globally. Since her arrest, Han has repeatedly moved between detention and a hospital, receiving treatment for hypertension, a fall injury, and glaucoma. After the sentence, she was admitted to a hospital wing and allowed to remain through Wednesday pending medical clearance.

The outcome of the case will also determine whether the church pursues another suspension, subject to evaluation of Ms. Han’s health conditions by her legal team.

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