Police Accelerate Investigation into Unification Church... Long Hours of Questioning Even on Weekends

[Financial News] Police investigating allegations of political lobbying by the Unification Church summoned and questioned for an extended period both Jung Won-joo, former chief secretary to Hak Ja Han, and an executive considered a key figure in the Japan–Korea Undersea Tunnel lobbying. With concerns that the statute of limitations for violations of the Political Funds Act by former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Jeon Jae-soo will expire at the end of this month, the investigation is gaining momentum.
According to the special task force of the National Office of Investigation at the KNPA on the 29th, Jung Won-joo was summoned as a suspect and questioned for about 12 hours, from around 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. the previous day, on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Act.
At around 10:14 p.m. the previous day, Jung left the KNPA building in Seodaemun-gu without responding to reporters’ questions such as, 'Do you admit to the charges?' or 'Did you participate in the delivery of money?'
Jung is known as the second-in-command of the Unification Church, having served as deputy director of Cheon Mu Won, the church’s highest administrative body, and as a close aide to Hak Ja Han. He was previously summoned as a witness on the 18th, after which police changed his status to suspect.
Police suspect that, given Jung’s role overseeing the Unification Church’s finances, he may have been aware of or involved in the alleged delivery of tens of millions of won from the Unification Church to former Minister Jeon Jae-soo, former Democratic Party lawmaker Jong-Sung Yim, and former United Future Party lawmaker Kyuhwan Kim between 2018 and 2020.
At around 10:30 a.m. the previous day, police also summoned Park, former head of the Busan branch of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) and director of the Japan–Korea Undersea Tunnel Research Association, as a witness and questioned him for over nine hours.
Park is known to have been active in the Unification Church’s 5th district, which was vigorously promoting the Japan–Korea Undersea Tunnel project, and to have met with numerous local politicians. He reportedly met former Minister Jeon Jae-soo ahead of the 2020 general election, delivered Hak Ja Han’s autobiography, and took a photo together.
On the 27th, police also summoned Lee, former head of the Unification Church Korea, as a witness, and later that afternoon questioned another official involved in managing the church’s finances as a witness.
The urgency of the investigation stems from the imminent statute of limitations. Violation of the Political Funds Act is punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won, and the statute of limitations under the Criminal Procedure Act is seven years.
If former Minister Jeon Jae-soo is charged with violating the Political Funds Act, rather than bribery, for alleged receipt of funds around 2018, the statute of limitations will expire at the end of this month. As a result, police are focusing on securing physical evidence and statements from key church officials involved in the flow of Unification Church funds as the deadline approaches.
Previously, Park Seong-ju, head of the National Office of Investigation, stated at a regular press briefing, 'We are conducting the investigation as quickly as possible in consideration of the statute of limitations,' and added, 'We will also investigate all allegations raised fairly in accordance with the law and principles.'
welcome@fnnews.com Jang Yoo-ha Reporter