New Charges May Extend Detention Into 2026

Large daily the Chosun Ilbo: Special prosecutors broaden case against Mother Han as political-religious probe deepens with new charges 7th November 2025

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According to the large South Korean daily the Chosun Ilbo on 7^th November, new charges have been added to the previously-filed ones in the special prosecutors’ case against Hak Ja Han (한학자), also known as Mother Han. A story by Kim Na-yeong (김나영) headlined “Kim Keon-hee, Han Hak-ja Indicted in Unification Church Party Scheme” reveals,

“The special prosecutor’s team, led by Min Jung-ki (민중기), investigating various allegations against former first lady Kim Keon-hee (김건희), announced on the 7th that it had additionally indicted Kim, Unification Church leader Hak Ja Han (한학자), and others in connection with the alleged ‘collective entry of Unification Church members into the People Power Party’.”

According to the Chosun Ilbo article, the special prosecutor’s office said that Kim Keon‑hee (김건희), Hak Ja Han and others – including Jeon Seong‑bae (전성배) and Yoon Yeong‑ho (윤영호) – were additionally indicted on charges of violating the Political Parties Act for organising a “collective entry” of Family Federation members into the People Power Party.

The article states that Kim was already indicted in August for violations including the Capital Markets Act, the Political Funds Act, and solicitation of bribes under the Act on the Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes.

The new indictments add charges under the Political Parties Act (i.e., coercing party membership, if the allegation is correct) concerning the coordinated entry of Family Federation members into the People Power Party.

KBS World has previously reported that for Hak Ja Han and others, previous indictments include offences under the Political Funds Act, anti-graft laws (e.g., embezzlement, bribery, evidence‐destruction) relating to the federation’s alleged favours to Kim and/or the party.

Thus the “additional” label means that these new counts build on an existing set of charges, not that they are entirely separate/unconnected.

Other outlets are covering the expansion or further layers of the probe, consistent with the “additional indictment” narrative of the Chosun Ilbo article. A report from the Korea Times (2nd Nov. 2025) says the special counsel team cited evidence of Kim’s alleged involvement in personnel-favouring at the presidential office, beyond earlier charges of stock manipulation, political funds violations, and receipt of luxury gifts.

A broader picture emerges that the special counsel’s investigation into Kim, the Family Federation / Mother Han, and the People Power Party is widening – from bribery, political funds and stock manipulation to alleged mass membership manipulation and party entry schemes.

In the case against Mother Han, special prosecutors barred her on 23^rd May 2025 from leaving South Korea amid investigation into alleged luxury gifts to Kim. Those early restrictions signaled a formal suspect status, not yet full indictment.

On 9^th July, the investigation broadened as Hak Ja Han was formally designated by the Special Prosecutors’ Office as a criminal suspect, including suspected bribery via a religious intermediary, embezzlement and interference.

The court then issued a detention warrant for her on 22^nd September on charges of unlawful political funding, embezzlement, and obstruction of justice. That marked a significant intensification of charges. On 10^th October, the charges against her were formalized as she was indicted.

It is quite plausible that the additional charges against Hak Ja Han will lead to both a longer investigation and extended detention.

A broader scope means more witnesses, more documents to review, more forensic and financial tracing – all of which tend to lengthen investigations. The complexity of the case – political, religious, financial – inherently slows things down. And Korean criminal-procedure frameworks allow for extensions of pre-trial detention under certain conditions (risk of flight, evidence tampering, etc.). Given the breadth of the allegations, prosecutors are more likely to request such extensions.

Of course, Mother Han’s age (82) and numerous health issues may give her defence more leverage to argue for bail or conditional release on medical grounds, which could shorten or interrupt detention even if the investigation itself is long.

Because the case has strong political-religious overtones, the authorities may seek to resolve key issues more quickly to manage public and institutional fallout, but this is highly uncertain.

It is quite plausible that Mother Han remains in detention – or under very restrictive conditions – well into 2026. The prosecutors deem the charges as serious, the investigation is expansive, and the risk of evidence tampering has already been flagged by the court – all of which support extended detention.

The fact that she was already granted a temporary medical release suggests the court is sensitive to her health. If her condition worsens, a court might convert detention to medical supervision or bail.

If the investigation drags on, the special counsel may still keep her in very restricted custody conditions (hospital ward under guard, limited contact) rather than standard prison, which could mitigate the health/detention risk but still keep her effectively immobilised.

See also Mother Han: Prosecutors’ Narrative Hard to Prove

See also The Broader Vision of the Korea-Japan Tunnel

Text: Knut Holdhus, editor

Featured image above: Posters outside Seoul Detention center 3rd November 2025. Photo: Bitter Winter

See also Former First Lady and Mother Han (82) in New Case

See also Health Concerns: 82-Year-Old Pretrial Detainee

See also Complaint Filed Against Lead Special Prosecutor

See also In Tiny Solitary Cell: Irreversible Harm Caused

See also Mother Han Briefly Released for Medical Reasons

See also Message of Religious Unity from Detention Cell

See also Inside the Detention Center: A 10-Minute Visit

See also Over 50 Days in Vigil Outside Detention Center

See also Bail Request Spotlights Injurious Detention

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