{
  "id": 4619705,
  "title": "South Korea court gives Unification Church leader two years in prison",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/south-korea-court-gives-unification-church-leader-two-years-in-prison",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-31T09:41:28.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2026/08/1522870/south-korea-court-gives-unification-church-leader-two-years-prison"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A South Korean court sentenced the 83-year-old leader of the Unification Church, Han Hak-ja, to two years in prison on Monday. She was accused of bribing officials, including the wife of the former president, by providing luxury items such as a designer handbag. Han arrived for sentencing in a wheelchair, wearing hospital pyjamas and a surgical mask. The Unification Church, which has significant business interests and political ties, vowed to appeal the ruling, stating they disagreed with the court's finding that Han instructed the acts or was aware of their unlawful purpose.",
  "summary": "SEOUL: A South Korean court sentenced the leader of the secretive and powerful Unification Church on Monday to two years in prison on charges of bribing officials, including the wife of the then president.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "South Korea court gives Unification Church leader 2 years prison",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/south-korea-court-gives-unification-church-leader-2-years-prison",
        "published": "2026-08-31T08:27:42.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "South Korea women's football body probes 'period' insult",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/south-korea-womens-football-body-probes-period-insult",
        "published": "2026-08-31T09:42:50.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Antara News Indonesia",
        "title": "Indonesia, South Korea sharpen naval diving skills in joint exercise",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/indonesia-south-korea-sharpen-naval-diving-skills-in-joint-exercise",
        "published": "2026-08-31T10:24:42.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}