Statement Ahead of Final Hearing for Mother Han

Standing with Mother Han: Joint statement issued before final hearing in first of two “religion-politics collusion” cases brought by the current Lee administration

An official joint statement from FFWPU (Family Federation for World Peace and Unification) North America and FFWPU Europe & the Middle East regarding the upcoming final arguments in the legal proceedings in South Korea involving Dr. Hak Ja Han (83), Co-Founder of the Family Federation.

Official Statement of FFWPU North America and FFWPU Europe & the Middle East on the Case of Republic of Korea v. Dr. Hak Ja Han

On July 10, 2026, prosecutors in South Korea are expected to deliver the government’s final arguments against Dr. Hak Ja Han, the Mother of Peace. It seems inevitable that they will ask for a conviction and seek a lengthy prison sentence for an 83-year-old spiritual leader whose life has been defined by the pursuit of peace, unity, and reconciliation for all humankind.

See also Mother Han: Prosecutors Seek 13-Year Sentence

See also Editorial Challenges Prosecution of Mother Han

See also Mother Han: Beyond One Trial – the Wider Stakes

See also Mother Han: The Dangers of Guilt by Position

See also New Law, New Standards for Religious Reporting

After mobilizing hundreds of police and investigators, and spending millions of dollars, the prosecutors have failed to show that she ordered, directed, or intended any crime. After months of detention and interrogation, the government’s case rests on innuendo, association, and a maze of technical accusations that obscure more than they prove.

As her life story confirms beyond any legitimate challenge, Mother Han answers to a higher calling. She knows what is in her heart and what she pursues, and even now, she asks us to respond not with bitterness or fear, but with prayer.

This is not the first time our founders, Mother Han and her late husband, Rev. Sun Myung Moon have stood before the powers of this world. Like so many other religious leaders, they have been misunderstood, accused, and persecuted for their faith and commitment to peace.

This moment is larger than one trial. This represents a test of whether people of faith in South Korea can still speak truth to power.

We will keep praying and remain strong. We are confident that the truth will be revealed, and Mother Han‘s work for lasting peace will not stop. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”

Michael & Fumiko Balcomb,

FFWPU Europe & Middle East

Demian & Yumiko Dunkley

FFWPU North America

[Editor’s note: The trial of Hak Ja Han (한학자) – also called Mother Han – is expected to conclude on 10^th July, when the special prosecutors appointed by the left-leaning Lee Jae-myung (이재명) administration will deliver their closing arguments and recommend sentences for the defendants. Dr. Han and her co-defendants will then present their final statements before the court retires to deliberate and reach its verdict.

The case has become one of the most prominent examples of what South Korean media have described as “religion-politics collusion” – the alleged improper intertwining of religious organizations and political power. At the same time, the investigation has drawn criticism from opponents of the administration of Lee Jae-myung (이재명), as well as from those who argue that the special prosecutors have been granted unusually broad powers to investigate political and religious figures perceived to have supported the former administration of Yoon Suk-yeol (윤석열). These critics contend that the investigation, initiated under Lee’s administration, constitutes a campaign targeting political and ideological opponents.

The 27^th Criminal Division of the Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Woo In-seong (우인성), is expected to deliver its ruling several weeks after the final hearing on 10^th July. That’s not, however, the end of the story. A second “religion-politics collusion” case is due to open as soon as the first one is ended.]

See also Editorial Challenges Prosecution of Mother Han

See also Mother Han: Beyond One Trial – the Wider Stakes

See also Mother Han: The Dangers of Guilt by Position

See also South Korea’s Slide Toward Authoritarianism

See also Hunting “Heretics”: Justice Minister Quoting Bible

See also Mother Han: Prosecutors Seek 13-Year Sentence

See also Shocking Pretrial Detention of Faith Leader (95)

See also Should Democracies Have “Recognized Religions”?

Featured image above: Hak Ja Han, aka. Mother Han, in Gapyeong, South Korea in 2025. Photo: Screenshot from video by FFWPU, improved for higher resolution and sharpness by Grok xAI, 13th June 2026. 

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