SEOUL: A South Korean court issued a warrant on Tuesday for the detention of Han Hak-ja, the leader of the Unification Church’s religious empire, according to a prosecutor.
Han was jailed in relation to graft allegations involving the wife of ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol.
He has been accused of directing the church to bribe former First Lady Kim Keon Hee to secure favours for the church’s business interests.
Kim has denied the allegations, describing them as false information.
Special prosecutors launched a wide-ranging criminal investigation into the former first couple after Yoon was removed from office over a political crisis.
The crisis was sparked by his short-lived imposition of martial law last year.
The investigation has focused on the bribery allegations against the former first lady.
Kim is on trial this week facing charges that include bribery.
Prosecutors suspect she received bribes from the church among the charges.
Yoon, who is also in detention, is being tried separately for insurrection.
The court issued the warrant for Han’s detention to prevent the destruction of evidence, the special prosecutor’s team told reporters.
The church is formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.
It has followers across the globe and controls entities in sectors like construction, health care, and media.
Founded in South Korea during the 1950s by self-declared messiah Moon, the group is famous for its mass weddings.
It has faced criticism over its fundraising methods and other controversies, including a recent political scandal in Japan following the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The religious group stated it would faithfully cooperate with the investigation and trial to verify the truth.
It pledged to do its utmost to use this situation as a chance to restore trust in the church. – Reuters
