Jakarta, hitclubapk3 Indonesia
—
Court
South Korea
held the first trial of South Korean Unification Church leader Han Hak Ja, who is accused of bribing First Lady Kim Keon Hee with luxury bags and expensive jewelry.
On Monday (1/12), Han was tried on charges of bribing Kim with two Chanel bags, a diamond necklace and wild ginseng, in exchange for business and political favors.
Appearing in a wheelchair, the 82-year-old woman denied the allegations.
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Kim Keon Hee herself previously admitted that she received the bag as a gift from the church, through a broker.But he claimed there was no reward whatsoever.
Han Hak Ja is also accused of bribing a confidant of former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, and helping Yoon win the 2022 presidential election, by mobilizing church members in exchange for Yoon’s support for church projects.
Prosecutors argued that Han misused donations from church members.
“The defendant Han Hak Ja is the holder of absolute power of the Unification Church. Not a penny of illegal funding or political lobbying can be done without his approval,” said one of the prosecutors in court.
“Through collusion between politics and the government, which is prohibited by the Constitution, donations were turned into a tool to buy power,” added the prosecutor, as reported by
Reuters
.
One of Han’s lawyers, Kwon Oh Seok, claimed a church official had acted alone because of “political ambition”, without Han’s knowledge.
In court, while sitting quietly and closing his eyes during the hearing, Han emphasized he was not interested in politics.
“I am not interested in the politics of this country. Every politician, religious figure and academic knows me as the mother of peace,” said Han.
Han was released from detention last month for medical reasons, but has now been jailed again.
Critics in South Korea call the church a heretical and dangerous sect, and question its financial resources and how it indoctrinates its followers.
This case itself is part of a series of investigations by special prosecutors into Yoon Suk Yeol and Kim Keon Hee, following Yoon’s martial law order which was issued in December 2024.
(dna/bac)