South Korean Court Jails Unification Church Leader for Corruption and Bribery

A Seoul court on Monday handed Han Hak-ja, widow and successor of the Unification Church’s founder, a two-year prison sentence following her conviction for making illicit political donations and bribing a former first lady.

Revered by her followers globally as “True Mother,” the 83-year-old Ms. Han has led the church since the death of her husband, founder Rev. Sun Myung Moon, in 2012 at age 92. The self-proclaimed messiah established the organization, officially titled the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, as an international movement advocating conservative family values.

Ms. Han’s sentencing follows her September arrest, which occurred during a sweeping investigation into former President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee.

Former President Yoon is currently serving a life sentence after a court determined that his brief imposition of martial law in late 2024 constituted insurrection. His wife, Kim Keon Hee, faces a cumulative 11-year prison sentence for multiple offenses, including stock price manipulation, accepting bribes for government job placements, and granting political favors.

In Monday’s ruling, a three-judge panel at the Seoul Central District Court convicted Ms. Han of gifting former first lady Kim Keon Hee luxury items valued at 83 million won (approximately $60,000)—including a diamond necklace and two Chanel bags—following Mr. Yoon’s election.

Prosecutors stated that the bribes were routed through senior church official Yoon Young-ho, who is already serving an 18-month sentence for his involvement. On Monday, the court extended his sentence by six months due to additional violations of political donation laws.

The court also convicted Ms. Han of channeling $72,000 in illicit political funds through the same official to conservative lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong to support Mr. Yoon’s 2022 election campaign. Mr. Kweon, a staunch ally of the former president, is currently serving a two-year sentence for his participation in the scheme.

Throughout the trial, Ms. Han maintained her innocence, arguing that the former church official acted independently to cultivate ties with Mr. Yoon’s government and elevate his standing within the organization.

However, the judicial panel ruled on Monday that Ms. Han embezzled church funds to secure political favors for the church’s global initiatives, including international conferences. The court determined she committed the crime “with the aim of leveraging the Unification Church’s financial power to treat the presidential election as a crucial opportunity for expanding its influence.”

The Unification Church announced that Ms. Han would appeal the ruling, but also apologized for “causing great concern and disappointment to the public,” pledging “painful reform.”

In South Korea, the church operated largely under the public radar until criminal investigations targeted the former president and his wife. The organization is well-known for its mass weddings, which involve thousands of couples—often from different countries—matched by the church.

In Japan, the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by an individual with a grudge against the church triggered accusations that its Japanese branch manipulated members into making donations to conservative politicians. In March, a Tokyo court revoked the branch’s tax-exempt status, compelling the liquidation of its assets.

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