According to a comprehensive investigation by this newspaper on the 13th, the special prosecutor recently summoned and questioned the heads of five regional branches within the Unification Church during the 2022 presidential election. The Unification Church is known to manage the five regions within Korea: Seoul/Incheon, Gyeonggi/Gangwon, Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang. The branch heads are responsible for each branch. Former global headquarters director Yoon Young-ho, who was arrested on charges of giving 100 million won in cash to People Power Party lawmaker Kwon Seong-dong and expensive gifts to “constructionist” Jeon Seong-bae, is also known to have been in charge of managing each branch.

The special prosecutor’s office reportedly summoned the district heads and investigated whether the missionary funds at the time were used as illegal political funds. Previously, the special prosecutor’s office reportedly stated in the arrest warrant request for Yoon, who was arrested on the 30th of last month, that “Yoon is suspected of giving 100 million won in cash to Rep. Kwon on January 5, 2022, with the intention of using it for presidential candidate Yoon Seok-yeol (violation of the Political Funds Act).” The special prosecutor’s office is also suspicious of whether the luxury necklace that Yoon gave to Jeon, asking her to deliver to Ms. Kim while requesting support for the Cambodian Mekong River Development Project (ODA), was actually delivered to Ms. Kim.

Mr. Yoon reportedly testified during the special prosecutor’s investigation that he had received instructions from his superiors regarding these allegations. The Unification Church maintains that this was “a personal deviation by Mr. Yoon.”