Escalation in Probe: 13-Hour Police Questioning

Top aide to Mother Han in marathon interrogation at escalation of police probe into lobbying as politicians from both large parties are named

The large South Korean daily JoongAng Ilbo published on 18^th December an article headlined “Police Question Former Chief of Staff to Hak Ja Han for 13 Hours… Investigation into Unification Church Allegations Accelerates”.

See also Climate of Suspicion: Peace Reframed as Politics

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Reporter Han Yeong-hye (한영혜) writes that the South Korean police have significantly intensified their investigation into allegations that the Family Federation while Yoon Yeong-ho (윤영호) was in a leadership position, allegedly funneled money and luxury goods to prominent politicians in exchange for political favors.

At the center of this latest development is a prolonged, 13-hour police interrogation of Jeong Won-joo (정원주), the former chief of staff to Hak Ja Han (한학자) ‒ also called Mother Han ‒ co-founder and current leader of the Federation. The length and intensity of the questioning signal that authorities believe Jeong holds crucial knowledge about the financial operations of the religious organization and its alleged ties to political figures.

The interrogation was conducted on 18^th December by a special task force of the National Police Agency at police headquarters in Seodaemun, Seoul. According to JoongAng Ilbo, Jeong was questioned as a witness rather than a suspect, but her stature within the organization underscores the importance of her testimony. She previously served as vice president of Cheonmu-won, formerly the Family Federation’s highest administrative body, and is widely regarded as having been the second most powerful figure within the organizational hierarchy. Known as one of Mother Han’s closest aides, Jeong is believed to have had oversight of, or at least deep familiarity with, the Federation’s financial flows.

Following the marathon questioning session, Jeong declined to answer questions from reporters. Journalists pressed her on whether the alleged transfers of money and valuables to politicians were carried out on direct instructions from Mother Han herself, and on the origins of a large cash reserve kept in a Federation vault. Jeong’s silence did little to quell media speculation.

At the core of the police probe are allegations that between 2018 and 2020, Yoon Yeong-ho (윤영호) provided substantial cash payments and luxury watches to three senior political figures: Jeon Jae-soo (전재수), a former Minister of Oceans and Fisheries; Lim Jong-seong (임종성), a former lawmaker from the Democratic Party (민주당); and Kim Gyu-hwan (김규환), a former lawmaker from the conservative Future United Party (미래통합당). The alleged gifts, reportedly worth tens of thousands of dollars, raise serious questions under South Korea’s anti-corruption laws and the Political Funds Act, which strictly regulates donations to politicians.

Investigators are particularly focused on whether these transfers were linked to lobbying efforts connected to Federation priorities. One recurring issue is the long-standing proposal to build an undersea tunnel between South Korea and Japan, a project promoted by organizations affiliated with the Family Federation. Police are examining whether financial inducements were offered to secure political support for this initiative.

Suspicion has grown as it emerged that all three politicians attended an event in 2018 related to the undersea tunnel, hosted by the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), an organization founded in 2016 under the initiative of Mother Han. Further fueling concerns, former Minister Jeon reportedly continued to participate in Federation-related forums connected to the tunnel project as recently as October of this year. Investigators have also obtained congratulatory messages sent by Jeon to Family Federation events, which they are analyzing as part of a broader effort to map the depth of his relationship with the religious organization.

Another line of inquiry involves a Federation-affiliated foundation’s purchase of 500 copies of Jeon’s book shortly after its publication in 2019, at a cost of about 10 million won (ca. 6.800 US dollars). Police are examining whether this purchase constituted an indirect financial benefit and whether it was authorized or later reviewed by Mother Han herself.

The investigation is not limited to witnesses. On 17^th December, police conducted an in-person interview with Mother Han at Seoul Detention Center, where the 82-year-old religious leader is being held since 22^nd September. The officers also questioned a Federation official described as the organization’s “treasurer” to determine the origin and use of the large cache of cash allegedly kept in Mother Han’s “personal vault”.

Authorities have already questioned Yoon Yeong-ho, the former head of the Family Federation’s world headquarters, who is widely seen as the initial source of the allegations. Investigators are now cross-checking his statements against financial records, testimony from other insiders, and physical evidence obtained through search and seizure operations.

According to the JoongAng Ilbo article, these raids, carried out at the Federation’s main compound in Gapyeong and its Seoul headquarters, yielded records and receipts related to luxury goods purchases. Police are reportedly tracing the purchase of high-end watches from brands such as Bulgari or Cartier and may extend the investigation to the retail outlets involved.

Former Minister Jeon has vehemently denied the allegations. In a Facebook post, he dismissed the claims with sarcasm, stating that authorities “might as well say” he received enormous sums of cash and dozens of watches. He has also rejected the idea that he would trade political support for personal gain, emphasizing his long-standing opposition to the Korea-Japan undersea tunnel project on policy grounds. According to Jeon, the project would harm the future of the city of Busan, and he argues it is implausible that he would compromise such convictions for relatively modest personal benefits.

Analysts view the recent developments as part of a wave of political vengeance dressed up as justice, against what is perceived as conservative religious leaders with a lot of influence. Lee became president in June 2025. He soon appointed special prosecutors to investigate possible wrongdoings by the former conservative government and its supporters. On 18th July, the largest church in the world, the Yoido Full Gospel Church, was raided by a large party of police officers investigating alleged corruption ties to the former government and unlawful political funding.

On the same day, several locations belonging to the Family Federation were raided by hundreds of police officers sent by the special prosecutors.

In July, special prosecutors raided the home and offices of another religious leader, Billy Kim (Kim Jang-hwan ‒ 김장환), former pastor of Sanghwa Central Baptist Church and founder of the Far Eastern Broadcasting Corporation. His alleged crime was illegal lobbying. The investigation is still going on.

In August, Reverend Jeon Kwang-hoon (전광훈) from the large Sarang Jeil Church was given a big fine for what was claimed to be unlawful fundraising practices at a large rally in support of former President Yoon.

And pastor Son Hyun-bo (손현보) from the megachurch Segyero in Busan has been held in detention since August while his alleged illegal support for the Yoon administration is being investigated.

But it certainly looks like the prosecution initiated by the current Lee administration is now backfiring. As the JoongAng Ilbo report reveals, several lawmakers from Lee’s own Democratic Party are being drawn into the investigations.

See also Climate of Suspicion: Peace Reframed as Politics

See also Some Religions Are Welcome in Politics, Some Not

See also When Probes Risk Becoming Collective Judgment

See also S. Korea: What Happens When Faith Becomes a Crime?

See also Response to “Pilgrimage by Ferry” Media Claims

See also Fact-Based Clarification of Media Misreporting

Text: Knut Holdhus, editor

Featured image above: Cartoon version of South Korean police interrogation. Illustration: Grok xAI, 20th December 2025. 

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