9 Unification Church officials indicted over alleged illegal political donations

Three former and current officials from the Unification Church, including the church's former global chief Yun Young-ho, have been indicted for allegedly donating illegal funds to politicians, according to prosecutors. The taskforce behind the indictment revealed that charges of violating the Political Funds Act and embezzlement were brought against the church leaders without their physical detention.

The Unification Church officials are accused of illegally donating approximately 188 million won ($133,079) from church funds to 132 politicians through their network on 218 occasions between September 2019 and January 2025. Additionally, six other church officials partially involved in the alleged wrongdoing were also indicted summarily.

The joint investigation team believes the Unification Church aimed to expand its religious influence by inviting politicians to events hosted by the church. As part of the investigations, the taskforce conducted raids on 24 locations, including Cheon Jeong Gung, the church's sacred site in Gapyeong, located about 55 kilometers northeast of Seoul. They also traced around 480 bank accounts connected to the alleged illegal donations.