Prosecutors investigating allegations of collusion between religious groups and political parties have filed for an arrest warrant for Lee Man-hee, the leader of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, over accusations of coercing church members to join the People Power Party (PPP).
The joint investigation team announced on June 22 that it has requested the warrant against Lee for violating party laws and other related charges.
Lee is accused of compelling church members to enroll in the PPP to influence the party's presidential and parliamentary primaries from 2021 to 2024.
According to Article 42, Section 1 of the Political Parties Act, "No one shall be forced to join or withdraw from a political party without their free will."
The investigation team suspects that Shincheonji encouraged its members to join the PPP under initiatives like the "Pilates Project," leading to over 50,000 members enrolling in the party.
Earlier, the investigation team conducted searches at the Shincheonji headquarters and the PPP's office starting in January, seizing church membership lists and PPP member registries.
Following an analysis of the seized materials, the investigation team reportedly obtained testimonies from former Shincheonji members indicating that directives for membership enrollment were issued from Lee to church officials, including the general secretary and heads of various congregations.
On June 4, the investigation team summoned Lee as a suspect for intensive questioning. Subsequently, on June 17, they arrested three individuals, including former general secretary Koh Dong-an, who is considered the second-in-command of the church, on charges of violating party laws and obstructing business.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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