Pastor Son Hyeon-bo, who opposes impeachment, after meeting Trump… “Free Korea is having a hard time”

Past Sunday, South Korean pastor Seon Hyun-bo of the Busan World Church met with former U.S. President Donald Trump. The World Church posted a letter on August 8th showing that the pastor had a meeting with Trump at the White House and visited the Office of Faith Affairs there. Photos revealed that evangelical U.S. church figure Rolph McLeod was also present, likely participating in leading the encounter.

The World Church stated that the pastor conveyed the situation in South Korea and the value of freedom and faith during the meeting, without disclosing specific details. In a video titled "After Meeting with President Trump at the White House," the pastor said, "Our free South Korea faces difficulties in various aspects, but I believe that all believers and citizens must unite to protect our freedom."

The pastor visited the U.S. at the invitation of U.S. evangelical churches from December 13th to 14th. The church also reported that pastor Seon Hyun-bo appeared on a U.S. evangelical radio station, discussing the situation in Korean churches and religious freedom issues. As the leader of the evangelical body 'Savekorea,' he led a church-led protest against President Yoon's impeachment last year.

He was detained on suspicion of illegal election campaigning during the 2022 local elections and presidential election and received a 6-month suspended sentence at his first trial. Pastor Seon Hyun-bo has been communicating concerns about the Religious Foundation Dissolution Act and the Comprehensive Discrimination Prohibition Act to U.S. figures.

The U.S. side has shown consistent interest, with officials from the Department of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) and the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) contacting the pastor in June, as well as U.S. counselor Michael Niedem and others in June. The situation where conservative Korean churches continue to voice critical opinions about the U.S. Trump administration could have a negative impact on the sensitive U.S.-Korea relationship due to issues like Korean investments in the U.S. and Coupang.