Trump Raises Alarm Over Church Raids in Korea

Trump challenges President Lee on crackdown and voices concern as faith communities are caught in Korea’s political crossfire

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The Washington Times’ recent report, “Trump presses South Korean President Lee Jae-myung on church raids, political ‘purges’” (25^th August. 2025), highlights a moment of international tension that reaches beyond diplomacy into questions of religious freedom, political stability, and the integrity of civil society.

The article describes how President Donald Trump, hosting newly elected South Korean President Lee Jae-myung at the White House, raised concerns over what he characterized as “very vicious” raids against churches in South Korea. These include actions against the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU), widely known as the Unification Church, alongside other Christian congregations accused of having political ties to former President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The Washington Post, the larger competitor of The Washington Times, wrote on the same day that before President Lee’s visit, Trump signaled unease with how Lee came to office earlier this year – securing victory in the June election that followed the impeachment and removal of his predecessor, conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol, after Yoon’s short-lived declaration of martial law.

The large DC paper wrote,

“‘WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOUTH KOREA? Seems like a Purge or Revolution,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday morning. ‘We can’t have that and do business there. I am seeing the new President today at the White House.’”

The article by Jeff Mordock and Andrew Salmon in The Washington Times underscores a disturbing pattern: religious organizations in South Korea are being targeted under the guise of political investigations. What should concern international observers is not only the fairness of these prosecutions, but also the chilling precedent they set for freedom of belief, association, and expression in one of Asia’s most important democracies.

The article points to investigations into churches allegedly tied to political figures, particularly ex-President Yoon and his wife. For the Family Federation, the central concern is that a spiritual movement, whose global mission is to promote peace and family values, is being swept into political turmoil through accusations of bribery and undue influence. Allegations – such as gifts offered to the former First Lady – have not been substantiated in court, and the Federation has already expressed willingness to cooperate with authorities. However, the fact that raids and media sensationalism precede any judicial ruling suggests that these measures are more about political theater than due process.

President Trump’s comments are significant because they echo what many within the Family Federation and allied faith communities have felt for decades: South Korea’s governments, often under pressure from political rivals or activist groups, have sometimes treated religious minorities with suspicion or hostility. The raids described in the article are not mere administrative checks but aggressive interventions that risk intimidating congregations and stigmatizing entire communities. When churches like Sarang Jeil and the Family Federation are portrayed primarily as political actors rather than spiritual communities, the broader principle of religious freedom comes under attack.

The fact that this issue was raised in a White House meeting speaks to its gravity. The Family Federation is not only a Korean faith movement but also a global one, with extensive networks in the United States, Japan, Africa, and beyond. Its affiliated media, business, and humanitarian projects have long championed U.S.-Korea relations and peacebuilding on the Korean Peninsula. By undermining such a movement at home, South Korea risks sending a dangerous signal abroad – that religious freedom can be curtailed for political expediency. President Trump’s warning that such instability could jeopardize trade relations only underscores how these raids may damage trust between allies.

The Family Federation has experienced cycles of misunderstanding and persecution in South Korea since the movement was founded in 1954. Yet the religious organization has consistently emphasized reconciliation, family unity, and interfaith cooperation. In this light, the current accusations appear less as isolated charges and more as a continuation of a historical tendency to scapegoat the Federation during political crises. Linking the movement to corruption without due process revives old prejudices rather than addressing real issues of governance.

While President Lee insists the raids are part of investigations into past abuses of power, his government would do well to ensure that faith communities are not indiscriminately targeted or publicly defamed. The Family Federation has affirmed its readiness to cooperate with legal authorities; what it seeks is fairness, transparency, and recognition of its religious mission. Genuine dialogue with religious organizations would strengthen South Korea’s democracy, while heavy-handed raids risk fracturing it further.

The Washington Times article captures a pivotal moment in U.S.-Korea relations, where concerns about trade and security overlap with deeper questions of liberty and human rights. For the Family Federation, the stakes are clear: the right to practice faith without political persecution must be defended, not only for its own members but for all religious communities in South Korea. President Trump’s public acknowledgment of the issue provides a measure of hope that international attention will encourage restraint and fairness. Ultimately, South Korea’s standing as a democratic ally depends not only on its economic strength or military partnership, but also on its commitment to protecting the fundamental freedoms of conscience and belief.

See also Communist Strategy Against Religion and Family

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See also Co-Founder, 82, Questioned 9 Hours by Prosecutors

See also SKorea: “When the Powerful Suppress the Innocent”

See also Mike Pompeo Calls Probe of Co-Founder “Lawfare”

See also Religious Liberty Under Fire in South Korea

See also Critics Warn of “Authoritarian Drift” in SKorea

Text: Knut Holdhus, editor

Featured image above: US President Donald Trump. Illustration: Ngs24772 / Wikimedia Commons. Public domain image

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