Key Evidence in Political Funding Case Under Scrutiny
A major controversy has emerged surrounding the allegations that People Power Party lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong received 100 million Korean won in illegal political funds from the Unification Church. Central to this case is a document known as the “special report” prepared by Yun Young-ho, former global head of the Unification Church. The special counsel claims that Yun delivered the funds to Kweon on January 5, 2022, just two days after submitting the report to Han Hak-ja, the church’s president, on January 3, 2022. However, new evidence suggests that the document may have been fabricated or altered.
According to sources close to the case, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office initially seized the document and determined its date as January 3, 2023, not 2022 as claimed by the special counsel. The report, which was supposed to summarize church-related matters for verbal reporting to Han Hak-ja, includes several inconsistencies that raise questions about its authenticity.
The document features a date at the top, but it also explicitly states the year “2023,” includes the phrase “2023 New Year’s greetings,” and references a Japanese media article published in November 2022. These elements strongly suggest that the report was created in 2023 rather than 2022. As a result, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors’ Office recorded the date as January 3, 2023, in its investigation report dated April 28.
Despite this, the special counsel, which took over the case, maintained that the report was dated January 3, 2022, and used this to argue that Yun had already reported the matter to Han Hak-ja and delivered the funds before meeting Kweon. This discrepancy has led to accusations that the special counsel manipulated the evidence to build its case.
The issue of distorted evidence resurfaced during the trial of Han Hak-ja, Yun, and others on charges of violating the Political Funds Act and the Anti-Graft Act. The trial, held on the 19th at the Seoul Central District Court’s Criminal Division 27, saw Han Hak-ja’s legal team claim that significant issues were found in Yun’s special report. They argued that the document had been distorted and manipulated.
In response, the special counsel admitted that they were aware of a date typo during the investigation but defended their decision by stating that they cross-referenced other materials to determine the correct date. This explanation has done little to quell concerns about the integrity of the evidence presented.
The special counsel has now requested a four-year prison sentence for Kweon, who was indicted and detained for receiving the 100 million Korean won in illegal political funds. In their statement, the special counsel emphasized that Kweon, as a senior lawmaker, violated his duty to uphold constitutional values and protect citizens’ rights by colluding with the Unification Church. They argued that his actions undermined constitutional principles and betrayed public trust.
Kweon’s sentencing is scheduled for January 28 next year, and the outcome of this case could have significant implications for the broader debate over the relationship between religious organizations and political institutions in South Korea.
