Religion as Campaign Weapons in Leadership Race

Persecuted religious movements become political weapons in heated leadership race of governing Democratic Party of Korea (DPK)

As South Korea’s governing Democratic Party prepares to elect a new party leader at its national convention on 17^th August, the leadership race has become increasingly bitter. What began as a contest over political direction has now evolved into an exchange of accusations involving two of the country’s best-known new religious movements: Shincheonji [See editor’s note below] and the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification – in Korea generally known as Unificationism (통일교).

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The controversy reflects a familiar pattern in South Korean politics. Persecuted religious organizations are often invoked during election campaigns, not necessarily because of proven institutional involvement, but because allegations of religious connections can become effective political weapons. In the current contest, supporters of each candidate are accusing the opposing side of benefiting from such religious ties.

According to a report by JoongAng Ilbo (중앙일보) reporter Oh So-yeong (오소영), published on 24^th July, developments in an ongoing investigation classified as criminal have intensified these political attacks.

At the center of the dispute is a probe into allegations that members of Shincheonji [See editor’s note below], a rapidly growing Christian new religious movement, collectively joined the Democratic Party during the 3^rd June local elections. Investigators from a joint police-prosecution task force are said to have uncovered evidence suggesting that Shincheonji [See editor’s note below] encouraged members in the Seoul metropolitan area to register as Democratic Party members.

If confirmed, such coordinated party enrollment could raise questions about attempts to influence internal party elections rather than general national elections. The reported findings appear to lend support to claims made by former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok (김민석), one of the candidates competing for the party leadership.

The JoongAng Ilbo article mentions that earlier in July, Kim publicly vowed to uncover what he described as Shincheonji’s interference in Democratic Party politics. He argued that the leadership contest had become entangled in an alliance involving anti-Lee Jae-myung (이재명) forces, factional divisions within the party, and Shincheonji [See editor’s note below]. His remarks immediately became one of the most controversial issues of the campaign.

Initially, Democratic Party officials attempted to dismiss the allegations. Party spokesperson Kang Jun-hyeon (강준현) stated that a review of party membership records conducted last December had not produced meaningful evidence linking members’ addresses to any particular religious organization. However, reports that investigators had now identified possible evidence of organized recruitment weakened that earlier reassurance.

The investigation has placed supporters of Kim’s principal rival, former Democratic Party leader Jeong Cheong-rae (정청래), under growing political pressure. Although there has been no public evidence directly connecting Jeong himself to the alleged activities, members of his political camp have responded forcefully.

Lawmakers aligned with Jeong accused Kim of making irresponsible claims without sufficient evidence. During a press conference, they argued that if Kim could not substantiate his allegations, he should withdraw from the leadership race. They also criticized him for encouraging investigations that, in their view, benefited the conservative opposition People’s Power Party.

Kim’s supporters quickly responded. Representative Chae Hyun-il (채현일), a close political ally, accused Jeong’s camp of damaging party unity by acting primarily as defenders of their preferred candidate rather than seeking the truth about the allegations.

Meanwhile, Jeong attempted to strike a more cautious tone. Through social media, he called for a thorough investigation regardless of who might be involved and urged authorities to disclose the results as soon as possible. Nevertheless, some lawmakers close to Jeong privately acknowledged that they would have to wait and see what evidence investigators ultimately release.

Others expressed frustration over what they viewed as selective leaks from the investigation. Representative Choi Min-hee (최민희) questioned who was providing confidential investigative information to the media and urged investigators to complete their work promptly rather than allowing speculation based on vague references to “circumstantial evidence.”

As accusations involving Shincheonji [See editor’s note below] dominated the political debate, supporters of Jeong launched a counterattack directed at Kim himself. Instead of focusing on Shincheonji [See editor’s note below], they raised questions about Kim’s past contacts with the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

Posts circulating within online communities sympathetic to Jeong pointed out that Kim had attended a Peace Road health walking event in June 2024. Peace Road is an organization that promotes the proposed Korea–Japan undersea tunnel project and has long been associated with organizations connected to the Family Federation. The posts also noted that Kim’s son had graduated from a high school operated by a foundation affiliated with Unificationism.

These facts were presented by Kim’s critics as evidence of inconsistency. They argued that while Kim was portraying Shincheonji [See editor’s note below] as a political threat, he himself had participated in an event linked to another religious movement that has frequently been the subject of controversy in South Korea and Japan.

One online post summarized this criticism by asking why Kim was declaring an all-out struggle against Shincheonji [See editor’s note below] while having personally attended a Family Federation-related event, and questioned whether he was turning the party convention into a “muddy battlefield” of mutual accusations.

The article does not suggest that attendance at the Peace Road event or having a family member educated at a school operated by a Family Federation-affiliated foundation demonstrates any improper relationship with the religious movement. Rather, it illustrates how such associations are being employed as political ammunition during an increasingly acrimonious leadership contest.

The JoongAng Ilbo report portrays a Democratic Party convention in which substantive policy debates risk being overshadowed by investigations, factional rivalries, and competing attempts to portray political opponents as linked to persecuted religious organizations. Whether the ongoing investigation ultimately substantiates the allegations concerning Shincheonji [See editor’s note below] remains to be seen, but the controversy has already transformed the party leadership race into one in which religion has become a central – and highly contentious – political issue.

See also Democratic Party Leadership Race ’26 Scrutinized

See also Double Standard in Religion-Politics Probe?

See also Medical Release Extended Anew for Mother Han (83)

See also Former Aide Questioned in Police Leak Probe

See also Inquiry into Alleged Investigation Leak Widened

Text: Knut Holdhus, editor

Featured image above: The DPK leadership race 2026. Illustration: ChatGPT, 28^th July 2026, edited. 

[Editor’s note: Shincheonji, officially known as Shincheonji Church of Jesus, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony, is a new religious movement founded in South Korea in 1984 by Lee Man-hee, who claims to be the promised pastor mentioned in the Bible’s Book of Revelation. Shincheonji teaches that the Book of Revelation is being fulfilled through its church and that Lee Man-hee has received divine revelation to interpret it.]

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