Kwon Seong-dong's Visit to the Unification Church's Holy Site, Cheon Jeong Gung, Under Suspicion

Kwon Seong-dong, a member of the People Power Party, has come under scrutiny for reportedly visiting Cheon Jeong Gung, a holy site of the Unification Church, before and after the 2022 presidential election, during which he allegedly performed a deep bow to the church leader, Han Hak-ja, and received a shopping bag.

On the 5th, "Hankyoreh21" reported that "Former Unification Church World Headquarters President Yoon is understood to have testified in the special prosecutor's investigation that Kwon visited Cheon Jeong Gung in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, where President Han resides, twice in February and March 2022 and received a shopping bag."

The outlet added, "Former President Yoon testified in the special prosecutor's office that 'I saw President Han hand a shopping bag to Kwon,' and that '(Kwon) performed a deep bow to President Han and took the bag.'"

Special Prosecutor Investigating Link to Election Funds

Currently, the Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor's Office (led by Special Prosecutor Min Jung-ki) is investigating allegations of lobbying by the Unification Church, identifying the timeline of Kwon's visit to the holy site around the 2022 presidential election.

They suspect that cash related to election funds was contained in that shopping bag and are continuing their investigation.

It is reported that a warrant for the arrest of former President Yoon included the allegation that he provided 100 million KRW to Kwon Seong-dong, stating, "Please use this well for candidate Yoon Seok-yeol."

Regarding the suspicion of illegal receipt of money by President Han Hak-ja, the Unification Church responded that "there is no fact of illegal sponsorship" and stated, "We cannot respond as the special prosecutor's investigation is ongoing."

In relation to this, Democratic Party spokesperson Kwon Hyang-yeob criticized on the 6th, “It is said that Kwon Seong-dong, who is suspected of receiving illegal political funds of 100 million KRW, performed a deep bow to President Han and received a shopping bag twice.”

He continued, “Did President Han, being older, receive a New Year's bow? What else was inside the shopping bag? It is absurd that a close aide to the president would even bow deeply to receive illegal political funds.”

Kwon, the spokesperson, stated, “I can no longer trust Kwon Seong-dong’s explanation that ‘I have never had any inappropriate relationship’ or that ‘this is a political operation and malicious distortion,’” declaring that the Democratic Party would proceed with a complaint to the National Assembly Ethics Special Committee and a criminal complaint against Kwon.

Meanwhile, last month on the 31st, Kwon Seong-dong denied the reports on Facebook, stating, “It is completely untrue that I received political funds of over 100 million KRW from the Unification Church.”

Kwon further rebutted, “I have never had any inappropriate relationship, including any monetary transactions with the Unification Church, or any requests or organizational ties.”

Image Credit: Kwon Seong-dong, a member of the People Power Party, attending the parliamentary meeting in Yeouido, Seoul on the 4th / News1, Han Hak-ja, President of the World Peace Unification Family Federation / World Christian Clergy Council, Facebook 'Kwon Seong-dong'